Dozens of people tragically lost their lives in a crowd crush early Wednesday at the world’s largest religious gathering, the Maha Kumbh Mela, in India. Tens of millions of devotees had gathered to bathe in the river during one of the most sacred days of the Hindu festival.
The incident occurred when a barrier near the river broke as crowds moved toward the riverbanks for their holy dip in the city of Prayagraj.
An official source at a local hospital told our report that they had received 35 bodies, with more expected to arrive, meaning the death toll could rise. Around 20 people were treated for minor injuries earlier.
Indian police initially reported a lower death toll, saying about 90 people were transported to the hospital, with 30 confirmed dead.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences, acknowledging the tragedy and stating, “This has led to the loss of some virtuous souls, and some people have also been hurt.” He offered his heartfelt sympathy to the affected families and prayed for the injured’s speedy recovery. He also mentioned that he was in constant contact with the Uttar Pradesh state government.
The state’s chief minister, Yogi Adityanath, reported that some devotees caught in the crush were “seriously injured” and urged people not to spread rumors.
Local media and Reuters reported that witnesses saw several bodies near the riverbank, with images showing victims being carried away on stretchers. Videos showed ambulances navigating through the massive crowd, while security personnel helped the injured.
According to devotees, the incident unfolded around 1:30 a.m. local time. Witnesses described scenes of chaos as people ran in all directions, with some falling over. Families were separated in the surge of the crowd, and some remain missing. Many had already completed their holy dip and were resting on the riverbank when the tragedy occurred.
