Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, on Friday, accused the Uttar Pradesh government of concealing the true number of deaths at the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj, alleging that officials are withholding information to avoid paying compensation.

“The government is hiding the number of people who died in Kumbh as they don’t want to pay the compensation. The families of the deceased must be informed at the earliest and a list of all those who lost their lives should be made public,” Yadav said.

He said even the religious leaders and sages had come out openly against the authorities, accusing the UP government of spreading falsehood over the cause of stampede and consequent casualties.

The SP president alleged that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had lost the confidence of the people as the government was hiding the number of people who died during the stampede.

The comments come in the wake of the pre-dawn stampede at the Sangam area of the Maha Kumbh early Wednesday as millions of pilgrims jostled for space to take a holy dip on the occasion of one of the most auspicious days of Mauni Amavasya. The stampede claimed at least 30 lives and left 60 injured.

Yadav asked the UP government to provide medical care, food and clothes to devotees affected at the Maha Kumbh.

Giving suggestions to the state government regarding the arrangements at the Maha Kumbh, Yadav in a post on X said, “Appeal should be made to open dhabas at various places day and night for food and water and organise bhandaras.”

“Arrangements should be made to transport medical and paramedical staff from across the state to the people trapped in remote areas through two-wheelers of volunteers,” he added in the same post.

Yadav said, “Supply of petrol and diesel should be ensured to the vehicles trapped for miles around the Maha Kumbh and across the state. Medicine shops should be allowed to remain open day and night.”