The Allahabad High Court has directed UP authorities to finalise compensation for a man whose wife died in the 2025 Kumbh Mela stampede within 30 days. The Court warned it would “take a serious view of the matter” if its order is not complied with.
The Allahabad High Court has directed the Uttar Pradesh Mela Authority and the Commission of Inquiry to finalise the compensation claim of a man whose wife died in the 2025 Kumbh Mela stampede within 30 days. The Court clearly refused to allow any further delay in the matter, stating that the claim cannot be kept pending endlessly.
A Division Bench of Justice Ajit Kumar and Justice Swarupama Chaturvedi was hearing a writ petition filed by Uday Pratap Singh, whose wife lost her life in the stampede that took place in the early hours of January 29, 2025, during the Kumbh Mela. The tragic incident resulted in the death of at least 30 people and left many others injured.
During the hearing held on January 8, 2026, the state government informed the Court that the inquiry commission had already recorded the petitioner’s statement on December 17, 2025, and that his compensation claim was still under consideration.
The state also argued that the time period of the inquiry commission had been extended so that late claims from other victims’ families could be accepted, keeping larger public interest in mind.
However, the Bench was not satisfied with this explanation. The Court noted that a vacation Bench order passed earlier on June 6, 2025 had already shown strong displeasure over the delay in payment of ex gratia compensation.
That earlier order had also directed the concerned authorities to file their personal affidavits explaining the delay.
While referring to that earlier order, the Court observed that the petitioner’s claim could not be delayed indefinitely and said:
“Although this court on June 6, 2025 passed a detailed order requiring the authorities to file their personal affidavit, at this stage, we find it necessary to get the issue of claim of compensation of the petitioner finalised at the earliest.”
Based on this observation, the High Court has now directed the Uttar Pradesh Mela Authority and the Commission of Inquiry to complete and finalise the compensation claim of Uday Pratap Singh within the next 30 days.
The Court also instructed Additional Advocate General Anoop Trivedi, who appeared on behalf of the state government and the Mela Authority, to ensure that the final decision taken in the matter is placed before the Court.
The Bench further ordered that the decision must be submitted through a compliance affidavit on the next date of hearing. The matter has been listed for February 18, 2026, specifically for filing of the compliance affidavit.
The Court issued a clear warning that if its directions are not followed, it would be forced to take strict action. It cautioned that failure to comply with the order would compel the Court to “take a serious view of the matter.”
Earlier, the High Court had also raised serious concerns about the way the body of the petitioner’s wife was handled after her death.
The Court had noted major procedural lapses, pointing out that the body, which had visible crush injuries on the rib cage, was handed over from the mortuary of Motilal Nehru Medical College without conducting any proper inquest or post-mortem examination. This raised serious questions about the official response and handling of the victims after the stampede.
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The present order comes almost one year after the deadly Kumbh Mela stampede and amid growing criticism over the slow pace of compensation payments and lack of accountability.
The High Court’s strong stand highlights the judiciary’s concern over delays faced by victims’ families and its insistence that authorities act promptly and responsibly in matters involving loss of life.
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