Video of mock drill at Maha Kumbh mela goes viral as fire incident

The viral video shows a mock drill conducted by the fire service department at a temporary hospital set up in the Prayagraj Mahakumbh Mela area on 27 December, 2024.

Mahakumbh Mela 2025 officially commenced on 13 January, 2025 continuing until 26 February, 2025 and will be held in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. The mela is held every 12 years and attracts millions of pilgrims, saints, and tourists who partake in spiritual practices such as ceremonial bathing at the sacred confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers. Extensive preparations have been made to manage the massive influx of devotees, focusing on infrastructure, security and healthcare facilities to ensure the event proceeds smoothly.

In this scenario, a video showing scenes of chaos, with an alarm bell ringing and individuals in police uniforms with firefighting gear attempting to manage the situation is going viral on social media. Users sharing the video claim that a fire broke out in a hospital in a Maha Kumbh Mela area.

Let’s check the truth

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Fact Check- 

We started our investigation by conducting a keyword search on Google and the results led us to a post from the official Twitter handle of ‘UP Police fact check’ published on 13 January, 2025, with the caption: “In the Kumbh Mela area @fireserviceup. Legal action is being taken by registering an FIR by @kumbhMelaPolUP against those who spread rumours by calling the video of a mock drill conducted as real.”

Furthermore, we also found a tweet from the official X handle of ‘Vaibhav Krishna’ (DIG Kumbh, Prayagraj presently) with the caption “This is absolutely false information. You are indulging in rumour mongering. The video you are showing is of our Fire Mock Drill a few days back conducted by Kumbh Mela Police. Strong Legal Action will be taken against you if you float any unsubstantiated info.” 

The Fire and Emergency Services of Uttar Pradesh Police, responding to the post, clarified that the mock drill was conducted on 27 December 2024. The account shared the image of the mock drill and urged users not to spread rumours. The account also mentioned that the drill was carried out at various key locations, including the Police Line premises of Maha Kumbh Mela, Prayagraj, Central Medical Parade, Sangam Nose, Nagvasuki area and the Prayagraj Railway Station. The exercise was aimed to enhance preparedness for handling real incidents effectively and ensure the safety of millions of devotees during the grand Maha Kumbh 2025.

As per reports, regarding safety measures, the Uttar Pradesh government has taken every possible step to guarantee a secure and safe experience for pilgrims at Maha Kumbh 2025. Security protocols have been enhanced at temples and important locations, with surveillance systems set up to track possible dangers.

Taking account of these evidences, we can understand that a mock drill conducted in the Kumbh Mela area falsely shared as Fire at Maha Kumbh Mela

Conclusion- Fact crescendo found the claim made along with the viral image to be Misleading. The viral video shows a mock drill conducted by the fire service department at a temporary hospital set up in the Prayagraj Mahakumbh Mela area on 27 December, 2024.