UP: Over 9 lakh devotees take holy dip at Magh Mela on Ekadashi; heavy security ahead of Makar Sankranti

Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh) [India], January 14 (ANI): On the occasion of Ekadashi, a large number of devotees arrived at the Sangam Ghat in Prayagraj to take a holy dip during the ongoing Magh Mela.
Drone visuals from the Mela show thousands of devotees at the Sangam Ghat, braving the cold and taking the dip.
The second sacred bathing ritual (snan) of Magh Mela will be held on Makar Sankranti, on January 15 in Prayagraj. After the successful Paush Purnima snan, in which over 31 lakh devotees took a holy dip, the Mela administration is preparing for the upcoming Makar Sankranti Snan.
The administration has implemented high-security measures, with UP ATS mobile patrol squads monitoring the Magh Mela area.
Informing on the security arrangements, SP Magh Mela Neeraj Pandey said that around 10,000 police personnel have been deployed and surveillance is ongoing to ensure "a safe snaam."
"Keeping Makar Sankranti in view, the police have made complete arrangements. Around 10,000 police personnel are deployed. 22 PAC, 6 RAF, NDRF, ATS, and civil police personnel are deployed in large numbers. The water police are continuously patrolling... Surveillance is being conducted through drone cameras and CCTV cameras... Full preparations are in place, and everyone is being ensured a safe 'snaan'," the SP told ANI.
Additionally, Magh Mela Officer Rishi Raj informed that by 6 AM, over 9 lakh people had taken a dip, adding that "the entire police force has been deployed on the spot."
"Even on the occasion of Ekadashi, many people are taking a bath. By 6 AM, around 9 lakh 50 thousand people have already taken a bath, and devotees are bathing at all our ghats...Makar Sankranti is tomorrow, but since it's January 14th, people are still coming to bathe today, and our entire police force is deployed on the spot...and monitoring is being done at all places," the officer said.
Soumya Agarwal, Divisional Commissioner, Prayagraj, assured the safety during the snaan on Makar Sankranti.
"The police and security personnel have been properly briefed, and heavy security has been deployed to ensure a safe bath during the festival....We are expecting over 1 crore devotees on Makar Sankranti for the holy dip," she stated
In addition to Prayagraj, devotees also took a holy dip in the River Saryu and offered prayers on Makar Sankranti in Ayodhya.
On the other hand, West Bengal minister Sujit Bose said that elaborate arrangements have been made for the Gangasagar Mela, adding that "such a huge gathering has not been organised anywhere else in the country."
"The Mamata Banerjee government has made elaborate arrangements for the mela... Giving the status of a national mela to the Gangasagar mela is upto the people. People have seen the kinds of arrangements made here. Such a huge gathering is not organised anywhere else in India...," Bose told ANI. (ANI)