Maha Kumbh: When faith met service, security & compassion
For crores of devotees, Maha Kumbh 2025 was a festival of faith but for Uttar Pradesh Police, it was more than an operational challenge. Maha Kumbh was a living, breathing test of how far our state had come — not just in technology or policing, but in the way governance could embrace faith without losing grip on safety and order.
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It began with a vision — Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's insistence that the Maha Kumbh should not be only divine in its spiritual essence, but also flawless in its organisation. He was not a distant figure in this process; he reviewed preparations personally, asked hard questions, and, most importantly, gave us the resources and freedom to act.
From budget approvals to manpower allocation, nothing was stalled. The police force knew that it was entrusted with something sacred — not just to Hindu tradition, but to India's global reputation.
Preparing for the World's Largest Gathering
Preparations began long before the first holy dip. The planning maps were spread across tables for months. Every ghat was risk-assessed. Every approach road was simulated for traffic flow. Every conceivable emergency — from a stampede to a cyber intrusion — was planned for.
We worked under a Unified Command System, where civil police, PAC, traffic units, intelligence teams, fire brigades, disaster response forces, and cyber experts moved like the many limbs of a single body.
Over 25,000 personnel were mobilised, each trained not just to enforce discipline, but to understand the human and spiritual pulse of the crowd.
Tech-Driven Policing from Land To Sky
In 2025, the Kumbh was not policed by lathis alone — it was also managed by algorithms, drones, and real-time dashboards.
At the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC), AI-based facial recognition cross-checked faces against missing-person databases.
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Drone feeds mapped crowd density in real time. Heat maps showed where pedestrian flow might become dangerous.
Body-worn cameras ensured transparency. GPS-enabled patrols meant no team was ever out of reach. Social media wasn't just a PR channel; it became a digital control room for grievance redressal and instant communication with pilgrims.
People Behind the Mission
Numbers and technology mean nothing without people.
And here, the human element of the Uttar Pradesh Police shone brightest.
The scenes on the ground reflected the dedication – a young constable, soaked in sweat, gently guiding an elderly woman through the crowd while carrying her shopping bag; women police officers, part of the Anti-Romeo squads, standing guard on the ghats so that women and children could move without fear.
Cyber teams neutralised misinformation before it could spark panic.
Intelligence units, invisible to the public eye, quietly dismantled threats before they could materialise.
Discipline with a Human Touch
The simple motto for the police was, "Tough in discipline, tender in approach".
The same officer who might sternly redirect a dangerously parked vehicle could be found handing a water bottle to a weary pilgrim moments later. The same force that guarded perimeters also reunited lost children with parents at the 'Khoya-Paya' booths — often with tears in their own eyes.
Mock drills ensured the police were ready for floods or medical emergencies, but compassion ensured that pilgrims felt safe enough to focus on their faith.
Results Speak for Themselves
By the time the last sacred bath was taken, no major law and order incident occurred. Thousands of missing pilgrims had been reunited with their families. Crores completed their pilgrimage without harm. It was policing, yes — but it was also service in its purest form.
Collective Achievement
Credit for the success goes to the Chief Minister whose trust empowered the police; to the govt which spared no expense; to officers, from constable to commandant, whose discipline never faltered; and to the citizens and saints, whose cooperation made the job of police easier.
Lesson Beyond Maha Kumbh
Maha Kumbh proved that when vision, planning, discipline, and compassion converge, even the world's largest gathering can run like clockwork. It was a civilisational achievement — and the Uttar Pradesh Police was privileged to be its guardian.
Let the Maha Kumbh be a reminder that true governance lies not just in infrastructure or enforcement, but in the human touch that turns order into harmony, and duty into service.
(The writer is former DGP of Uttar Pradesh)
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