Devotees At Maha Kumbh Have Close Shave As Boat Capsizes During Safety Drill, NDRF Jumps Into Action

During a safety drill by NDRF at the Maha Kumbh 2025, a real accident took place as a boat carrying pilgrims capsized in the Sangam area.

The Maha Kumbh gathering was witness to a real accident during an NDRF drill.

Source : PTI

Maha Kumbh 2025 Prayagraj: Preparations are in full swing by the administration to make the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj grand and historic. Special focus is also being done on a large scale for the safety of the devotees. The safety drills are paying off as was witnessed on Monday 

Devotees who have arrived for the grand event had a close shave during a safety drill on Monday.

#WATCH | Prayagraj: Mock drill conducted by NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) at Arail Ghat in preparation for Maha Kumbh 2025. (06.01) pic.twitter.com/up2wuulbLn

— ANI (@ANI) January 7, 2025

On Monday, the NDRF team was conducting a drill for the Maha Kumbh to deal with any disaster in the water. The NDRF team organised the drill on the Ganga. Right after the NDRF had finished conducting its drill and the personnel were pulling up on the shore, they were alerted by screams. 

Maha Kumbh 2025: Devotees Scream For Help On Ganga

A vessel with 10 passengers and 2 boatmen had suddenly come under the influence of strong currents and capsized in the Sangam area. The boat got stuck in the strong current whirlpool at Arail Ghat in the Sangam area. After which the boat started to sink and the devotees on board started screaming.

There were 10 devotees from Maharashtra and two local boatmen on board the boat. The NDRF personnel immediately jumped into action and rescued everyone without delay.

NDRF DIG Manoj Kumar Sharma appealed to devotees coming to the Mahakumbh to follow the rules so that they can take baths and return home safely. Sharma later said, "The NDRF is fully prepared for Kumbh. You must have seen how to deal with the kind of challenges we may face. This was a demonstration of the same, including saving drowning people."

#WATCH | NDRF DIG MK Sharma said, "The NDRF is fully prepared for Kumbh. You must have seen how to deal with the kind of challenges we may face. This was a demonstration of the same, including saving drowning people. If a boat capsizes, how to save the people on board, how can we… pic.twitter.com/81a6p5dgVa

— ANI (@ANI) January 7, 2025

"If a boat capsizes, we focus on how to save the people on board. Our aim is to provide a safe environment to the devotees. All preparations are going on keeping that in mind. Security agencies are alert. If any challenge comes in relation to chemical, biological and radiological nuclear emergency, we are capable of dealing with that even," he said

He said the NDRF's highly trained squad is deployed at Maha Kumbh 2025 with full equipment. "We have special divers, skilled swimmers and speedboats and we are ready to deal with challenges day and night. We have underwater torches, too. Our aim is to make the devotees and refugees coming from outside believe that agencies like NDRF are ready to deal with every challenge for your service."

Maha Kumbh 2025 Details

 Prayagraj will host the Maha Kumbh Mela from January 13 to February 26, 2025. The Sangam is the sacred confluence of three rivers — Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati.