Dozens Killed in Stampede at Maha Kumbh Mela in India

Dozens Killed in Stampede at Maha Kumbh Mela in India

Tragedy Strikes During Hindu Festival

A devastating stampede occurred early Wednesday at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, leading to numerous fatalities and injuries. The incident happened as millions of devotees gathered for a sacred dip at the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati rivers on the most auspicious day of the six-week-long festival.

Casualties and Injuries

Nearly 40 bodies have been brought to the local Moti Lal Nehru Medical College hospital morgue, with more still being transferred. Witnesses described a sudden crowd surge, resulting in panic and suffocation. Some attendees claimed that the closure of key routes to the river caused a dangerous standstill, leading to people collapsing under pressure.

Eyewitness Accounts

Survivors spoke of chaos as people pushed and climbed over one another to escape. “There was commotion, everybody started pushing, pulling, climbing over one another. My mother collapsed…then my sister-in-law. People ran over them,” said one grieving woman. Another blamed poor crowd control, accusing authorities of mismanagement.

Government Response

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences to the victims’ families, calling the incident “extremely sad.” Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath stated that the stampede occurred when some devotees attempted to jump barricades.

Opposition Criticism

Opposition leaders criticized the government for failing to manage the overwhelming crowd, arguing that VIP attendees were prioritized over common devotees. Calls have been made for better planning and stricter crowd control measures in the future.

Record-Breaking Attendance

The Maha Kumbh Mela, known as the world’s largest religious gathering, is expected to draw around 400 million people in total. On this specific day, officials had predicted a record 100 million attendees, deploying extra security and medical personnel to handle the situation. However, these precautions were not enough to prevent the deadly crush.

A Repeat Tragedy

This disaster echoes a similar stampede in 2013, which claimed at least 36 lives on the most sacred day of the festival. The latest incident raises urgent concerns over crowd management strategies at large-scale religious gatherings.

“Dozens Killed in Stampede at Maha Kumbh Mela in India” “Dozens Killed in Stampede at Maha Kumbh Mela in India”