'10 million devotees take dip in holy Sangam,' says DGP Prashant Kumar

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], January 13 (ANI): As the much-awaited 2025 Maha Kumbh commences, the devotees have been gathering at the Sangam to take a holy dip in the confluence of two rivers - Ganga and Yamuna. Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) Prashant Kumar on Monday said that around 10 million people have taken a dip in the sacred Sangam.
"Till now, around 1 crore devotees have taken a holy dip in Sangam area on the first 'Amrit snan' day," DGP Kumar told ANI.
He said that the police personnel remain deployed as the rush of devotees continues at Sangam and the police administration was surveilling the area via drones. The DGP added that no information about any mishap has been reported.
"The rush of devotees is continuing at Sangam. Police personnel are present there, drone surveillance is also being done. Underwater drones have also been used for security. Till now, we have received no information about any unpleasant incident taking place in the Prayagraj area and the state. All senior officials and the CMO office are monitoring the situation," DGP Kumar said.
"All arrangements made by the Transport department for devotees coming by road are also operating smoothly. There are no obstacles in the flow of traffic on all roads leading to Prayagraj. Shortcomings which we find in today's arrangements will be worked upon to be improved for tomorrow's 'Amrit snan'," he added.
The Maha Kumbh 2025, the world's largest religious gathering, has officially begun in Prayagraj, marking the start of a grand 45-day spiritual event. The Maha Kumbh 2025 is being organized over a sprawling 10,000-acre area.
Thousands of devotees have already flocked to the sacred confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mystical Saraswati river at Triveni Sangam to take part in the holy bath.
The government has meticulously planned the event. Key arrangements include 0.15 million toilets, 15,000 sanitation workers, 2,500 Ganga Seva Doots (volunteers), and 0.15 million tents in the Mela area. The state government has set up 69,000 LED lights, including solar hybrid street lighting, 2,750 crowd-monitoring cameras, and 24/7 Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) monitoring. Additionally, there will be 10 digital lost-and-found centres, 25,000 workers on the ground, and parking facilities covering 1,800 hectares.
Uttar Pradesh police have established a floating police chowki to assist devotees as the 45-day-long Maha Kumbh commenced on Monday, beginning with the auspicious occasion of Paush Purnima. Over 10,000 personnel, including local police and paramilitary forces, have been deployed for the event's security.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has deployed a "water ambulance" stationed at Sangam to ensure the safety of devotees. The ambulance, equipped with medical facilities and staffed by doctors and NDRF officials, will operate 24/7 throughout the event.
The Maha Kumbh 2025 has already seen nearly 10 million devotees take a holy dip in the Sangam so far on the first day. The event, which began on January 13, will continue until February 26. Key bathing dates include January 14 (Makar Sankranti - First Shahi Snan), January 29 (Mauni Amavasya - Second Shahi Snan), February 3 (Basant Panchami - Third Shahi Snan), February 12 (Maghi Purnima), and February 26 (Maha Shivaratri).
The Maha Kumbh is being celebrated after 12 years, and over 450 million devotees are expected for the event. The Maha Kumbh will conclude on February 26. (ANI)