West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday expressed her grief over the Maha Kumbh stampede at Prayagraj.

She posted on X, “I am deeply saddened to learn of the tragic stampede at the Maha Kumbh, which has claimed at least 15 innocent lives. My thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved pilgrim families.”

Multiple people were feared dead after a “stampede-like” situation broke out at the sangam in the early hours of Wednesday amid the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, news agency PTI reported. However, authorities are yet to officially confirm the number of injuries and deaths.

The injured were rushed to the central hospital established in the mela area.

Banerjee further wrote, “My learning from our Gangasagar Mela is that planning and care must be maximal in matters relating to pilgrims’ lives in vast assemblies of people. Prayers for the departed souls.”

In response, BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Samik Bhattacharya said, “An accident is always an accident. Don’t do politics on this. The government will take necessary action to save people.”

On the other hand, TMC leader Kunal Ghosh said, “An accident is always an accident but this accident could have been avoided if the administration was alert and took steps at the initial stage. We talked to many pilgrims who were there during the incident. They are also clearly saying it is a complete failure of the (Uttar Pradesh CM) Yogi Adityanath administration.”