A deadly stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela festival in northern India has claimed the lives of several people, with dozens more injured. The incident occurred as millions of pilgrims gathered for a holy dip on the most auspicious day of the six-week Hindu festival.
Drone footage captured the vast crowds arriving early on the morning of Wednesday, January 29, at Prayagraj, located at the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati rivers.
After the stampede, images and videos showed bodies being carried away on stretchers, while others sat on the ground in distress. The scene also revealed discarded clothes, shoes, backpacks, and blankets left behind by those trying to escape the chaos.
Vijay Kumar, a pilgrim from Patna, described the scene, saying: “There were barricades in front of us and police with batons on the other side. The push from behind was immense… people started falling. There were bodies everywhere, I couldn’t tell if they were alive or dead.”
A woman, who did not wish to be named, shared that she and her mother fell during the stampede. “People kept stepping on us. I’m safe, but my mother has died,” she said.
Yogi Adityanath, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, confirmed that the situation was under control but acknowledged the massive crowd of pilgrims. He stated that by 8 a.m. on January 29, about 30 million of the expected 90 to 100 million pilgrims had already bathed in the sacred waters.
At least seven fatalities have been confirmed, though other reports suggest the death toll could exceed 12.
The Maha Kumbh Mela, which takes place every 12 years, began on January 13 and is the largest religious gathering in the world. Hindus believe that bathing at the confluence of the rivers will cleanse them of their sins and end the cycle of reincarnation.
Authorities anticipate over 400 million people will visit the site in total. Nearly 150 million people have attended so far, including prominent figures like Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Coldplay’s Chris Martin.
A massive tent city has been set up along the riverbanks, with facilities including roads, electricity, water, 3,000 kitchens, and 11 hospitals. Approximately 50,000 security personnel are stationed to manage the crowds, and more than 2,500 cameras monitor crowd movement to prevent such tragedies.
Stampedes at religious festivals are not uncommon in India, where large crowds often gather in confined spaces. In 2013, a stampede at a train station in Prayagraj during the same festival claimed the lives of at least 40 pilgrims.
