‘Unnatural Death, No Autopsy, No Compensation’: Allahabad High Court Slams UP Govt Over Kumbh Mela Stampede

In a strongly worded order, the Allahabad High Court has pulled up the Uttar Pradesh government for its apathetic handling of a woman’s death during the 2025 Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, observing that her body was handed over to the family without an inquest or autopsy report and that the ex-gratia compensation, announced by the State, remains unpaid even four months after the incident.

The bench of Justices Saumitra Dayal Singh and Sandeep Jain passed the order on a plea by Uday Pratap Singh, who alleged that his wife died under unnatural circumstances during the religious congregation and that the authorities failed to provide clarity on how her body came to be deposited at the mortuary of Motilal Nehru Medical College.

In response to court directions, Chief Standing Counsel J.N. Maurya presented instructions from the Additional Mela Adhikari, revealing the scale of medical arrangements made during the event. These included one central hospital, two sub-central hospitals, eight sector hospitals, two contagious disease hospitals, and ten primary health centres—all under the Mela Adhikari’s control. Additionally, 305 beds across several government hospitals were reserved for Kumbh-related cases, while private hospitals and nursing homes were involved through the Allahabad Nursing Home Association and the Allahabad Medical Association.

Two mortuaries were used during the Mela—one at Swaroop Rani Hospital and another at Motilal Nehru Medical College. However, no clear record was presented to explain how the petitioner’s wife’s body reached the latter.

Court expressed serious concern that the body was handed over to the petitioner’s son on February 5, 2025, without any formal procedures such as an inquest or autopsy, especially when the cause of death appeared to involve crush injuries.

"It would remain to be ascertained how her dead body reached the mortuary attached to the Motilal Nehru Medical College. If a person was admitted to any hospital, documentation offered by the government agencies should reflect the same and should have been communicated to the petitioner. If any patient was brought dead to a hospital, that statement should have also been recorded and made known to the concerned," court noted. 

Court also expressed dismay that no ex-gratia compensation had been paid to the family, despite a public announcement by the State. Rejecting the government’s contention that the petitioner had not applied for it, the bench said, “We find the stand taken to be untenable and smacking of apathy to the plight of the citizen, inasmuch as the occurrence may have been caused for reasons beyond the control of the State, at the same time having realised the consequence of that occurrence and having announced a scheme for payment of ex-gratia compensation, it was the bounden duty of the State to pay up the compensation to the aggrieved families with utmost grace and dignity".

Court stressed, "Once the identity of the families of the deceased was known to the State, it appears to be a pretence and an excuse on part of the State to ask the aggrieved families who had come from far off places to beg for money from the State for the irreversible loss suffered by the petitioner, certainly not on account of any fault committed by the deceased. The State remains the trustee of its citizens. It is not only obligated to protect their lives and keep them safe from avoidable losses, it remains obligated and duty bound to offer remedies and care where such unintended loss may be suffered. It is undisputed that the management of the Kumbh Mela was in the hands of the State and no other authority".

Therefore, taking note of the serious lapses, court ordered the impleadment of several medical institutions and associations as party respondents. They have been directed to file affidavits disclosing all patient admissions and deaths from January 28 till the end of the Mela, including details of any dead bodies handled and dispatched. The State must also disclose the number of ex-gratia claims received, approved, or pending, court ordered.

The matter will next be heard on July 18, 2025.

Case Title: Uday Pratap Singh vs State of UP and 3 Others