Fact Check: Video showing fire personnel in relief works is not related mishap at Maha Kumbh Mela 2025
The 45-day Mahakumbh Mela 2025, which is celebrated as the largest religious congregation in the world, started on
Claim :
The video shows a huge fire accident that took place in a hospital in Maha Kumbh MelaFact :
The video shows a mock drill conducted by authorities for education purposes
The 45-day Mahakumbh Mela 2025, which is celebrated as the largest religious congregation in the world, started on January 13, 2025, on Paush Purnima. It is the place where Sadhus, ascetics, and sages come together and offer prayers to the Almighty. Kumbh Mela has played a very important part in mobilizing and uniting the society. People from all walks of life come together and pray for the betterment of society and take a dip in the holy waters at the Sangam.
More than 50 lakh devotees took a dip in the holy waters on January 12, 2025, a day before the first bathing festival on Paush Purnima. The Uttar Pradesh government is taking measures to ensure that the event is safe, secure, and memorable. Security measures have been strengthened at temples and key sites in Maha Kumbh Nagar to ensure the safety of devotees. The intelligence systems have been activated across the Maha Kumbh Mela area, Prayagraj, and neighboring districts. Multiple checkpoints have been set up to screen every individual entering the district. Intelligence squads have also been deployed to monitor suspicious activities and maintain vigilance throughout the region. Committed to making the Kumbh Mela the largest spiritual event signifying Sanatan Dharma, the Uttar Pradesh government has prepared a comprehensive plan to handle any emergency.
Meanwhile, a video showing fire personnel, police, and other authorities working together to save the people affected due to fire is shared on social media with the narrative that a huge fire broke out in a hospital in the Maha Kumbh Mela area and that about 8 people are in critical condition.
The claim in Hindi goes as ‘महाकुंभ मेला क्षेत्र के हॉस्
Here is the archive link of the claim.
Fact Check:
The claim is Misleading. The viral video shows a mock drill conducted by the authorities in the area, which is not a real incident.
When we observed the video shared by the users carefully, we could see text stating “Do not panic…This incident was only a demo. An emergency trail was held by the Team’ at 1.24 mins. Here is the screenshot extracted from the video showing the disclaimer.
When we extracted other keyframes from the video and searched, we found that the same video was shared with the caption ‘A trial of Kumbh mela Fire Accident in Hospital Demo #kumbh2025live #kumbhsnan #kumbhmela #shors’
According to an article published in Freepress journal, the Mahakumbh police is consistently working towards ensuring the safe and successful conduct of Mahakumbh-2025, along with preparedness to handle any emergency situation effectively. Following the directives of Deputy Inspector General of Police Vaibhav Krishna, IPS, a mock drill was conducted at 2:00 am in the Thana Akhara Mahakumbh Mela area to assess and enhance emergency response readiness.
The mock drill involved activating alarms to address various emergency scenarios, practising evacuation procedures, and training on the effective use of fire safety equipment. The primary objective of the drill was to prepare devotees for prompt and appropriate action during emergencies while providing hands-on experience in operating fire safety equipment and coordinating with fire personnel for safe rescue operations.
A report published on ANI states that the exercise conducted was designed to simulate various emergency scenarios, focusing on the activation of alarms, evacuation procedures, etc. Fire safety training was also incorporated, emphasizing the importance of coordination between fire personnel for timely rescue and response operations. Several senior police officers, including Senior SP, and other gazetted officers participated. Ths emphasized the importance of collaboration between police, fire, and emergency response teams to ensure the smooth operation of the event.
Therefore, the viral video shows a mock drill conducted by the officials in the Maha Kumbh Mela area and is not a real incident of fire in a hospital. The claim is Misleading.
