Mahakumbh Stampede | Allahabad High Court Sets 30-Day Deadline To Decide Compensation To Victim's Kin; Warns Of 'Serious' View

The Allahabad High Court recently refused to further delay the compensation claim of a Kumbh Mela stampede victim pending the final report of the State's Inquiry Commission. In a stern order, the HC ordered the Mela Authority and the Commission to finalise the field by the husband of the deceased, who had succumbed to the injuries during the stampede, within 30 days. A bench of Justice Ajit Kumar and Justice Swarupama Chaturvedi warned that non-compliance would compel the Court to take a “serious view of the matter”. It may be noted that the stampede occurred in the early hours of January 29, 2025, reportedly killing 30 -39 persons. The affected area was the Sangam holy dip point. Hearing this case on June 6 last year, a vacation bench had come down heavily on the Uttar Pradesh government over its delay in disbursing ex gratia compensation to the families of those who died in the stampede. The Court had also termed the State's conduct as 'untenable' and reflective of 'apathy to the plight of the citizen'. It had also remarked that once the government had announced compensation, it was its 'bounden duty' to ensure timely and dignified payment. Now, on January 9, 2026, the State Government submitted that the Commission of Inquiry had already recorded the petitioner's statement on December 17, 2025 and that the issue of death during the stampede was being examined in coordination with the Mela Authority. The State contended that the inquiry's timeline had been extended to serve the larger interest of the public, as many dependents and guardians of victims were approaching the Commission late and their statements were being recorded. However, the Bench was not convinced to delay the payment of compensation any further. It observed thus: "Although this Court on 6.6.2025 passed a detailed order requiring the authorities to file their personal affidavits…at this stage, we find it necessary to get the issue of claim of compensation of the petitioner finalized at the earliest." Consequently, the Court directed the Commission as well as the Mela Authority to finalise the claim of compensation of the petitioner within the next 30 days from today. The Court has directed the Additional Advocate General Anoop Trivedi, representing both the State and the Mela Authority, to file the decision taken by the authorities by the next date of hearing. The Bench made it clear that if the compliance affidavit is not filed, the Court will be compelled to take a serious view of the matter. It may be noted that in its previous detailed order, the Court had noted with grave concern that the petitioner's wife, who suffered crush injuries to her rib cage, was handed over from the Motilal Nehru Medical College mortuary without a proper inquest or autopsy report. The matter is now listed for February 18, 2026, for the filing of the compliance affidavit.

Mahakumbh Stampede | Allahabad High Court Sets 30-Day Deadline To Decide Compensation To Victim's Kin; Warns Of 'Serious' View

Sparsh Upadhyay

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