Maha Kumbh Mela stampede: 7 dead, many injured
At least seven people were killed, and approximately ten were injured, in a stampede that occurred on Wednesday at the Maha Kumbh Mela, the largest Hindu religious festival held in northern India.
The incident occurred in Prayagraj, as millions of devotees were making their way to the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati rivers for a holy dip on the most auspicious day of the festival, according to Reuters.
Drone footage captured millions of pilgrims surging towards the holy site at dawn. In the aftermath of the stampede, photos and videos from the scene depicted bodies being carried on stretchers, people weeping, and a landscape strewn with discarded clothing, shoes, backpacks, and blankets, left behind in the panic as people struggled to escape.
A Reuters witness reported seeing several dead bodies and dozens of ambulances heading towards the riverbank where the tragedy occurred.
"We were surrounded by barricades, and in front of us were police officers with batons. The pressure from behind was immense... people began to collapse," said Vijay Kumar, a pilgrim from the city of Patna.
A woman recounted to the ANI news agency that she and her mother were trapped in the stampede. "People were trampling over us. I am safe, but my mother has died," she said.
Authorities said the stampede occurred around 1:00 a.m. (local time), but the exact causes remain unclear. According to witnesses, devotees began to fall over each other when a massive push towards the bathing site occurred.
Rapid Action Force (RAF), a special unit used in crisis situations, was mobilized to bring the situation under control and help rescue the injured.
A festival marked by record crowds and high-profile visits
The Maha Kumbh Mela is considered the largest human gathering on the planet. In the past two weeks, nearly 200 million people have attended the event, and authorities had estimated that over 100 million people would come on Wednesday for the sacred dip, amid a rare alignment of celestial bodies that occurs once every 144 years.
Among the attendees were high-ranking officials such as Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and Home Minister Amit Shah, as well as international celebrities including Coldplay frontman Chris Martin and actress Dakota Johnson. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also expected to visit the festival next month.
Accidents of this kind are not unprecedented. In 2013, a similar stampede occurred on the busiest day of the festival, killing at least 36 pilgrims, mostly women.
Authorities are continuing their investigation to determine the exact circumstances of the tragedy and prevent further incidents during the festival.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
