New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday blamed administrative mismanagement for the stampede-like situation at the Maha Kumbh, calling for an end to VIP culture and stricter crowd management.

Senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh, during a press conference, described the scenes from the religious gathering as “scary.” Multiple casualties occurred when a stampede broke out in the Sangam area of the Maha Kumbh early Wednesday, as crores of pilgrims jostled for space to take a holy dip on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya.

Referring to videos circulating on social media, Singh said, “I saw a woman desperately trying to give oxygen from her mouth to her family member to save him. This is heartbreaking.” Singh also pointed out that Mahamandaleshwar Premanand Puri Ji had urged authorities to hand over the event’s arrangements to the army, but his request was rejected.

“We never wanted to comment on this, but the reality is clear -- VIP culture is the main problem. Roads are being closed for VIP movement, causing chaos for the devotees,” he alleged. According to Singh, the administration only arrived at the scene at 1 am and started forcing people to take a holy dip (snan), which led to panic. “This created a stampede-like situation. My heart goes out to those affected. I appeal to the Chief Minister to immediately stop all VIP movements at the Maha Kumbh,” he added.

Meanwhile, AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal and Delhi Chief Minister Atishi expressed sorrow over the incident on the social media platform X. Atishi, calling the incident “extremely tragic,” wrote in Hindi: “The stampede at Maha Kumbh is deeply saddening. I pray for the departed souls and strength for their families in this difficult time. All devotees should remain calm and follow security guidelines to ensure a safe event.”