A deadly stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela in northern India on Wednesday claimed the lives of more than seven people and left around 10 others injured, according to an official.
The tragedy occurred as millions of Hindu devotees gathered in Prayagraj to take a holy dip on what is considered the most sacred day of the six-week festival.
Drone footage captured the massive influx of worshippers arriving in the early morning darkness at the temporary township, making their way to the confluence of three rivers—the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati.
In the aftermath of the stampede, distressing images and videos showed bodies being carried away on stretchers, while shocked survivors sat crying amid scattered clothes, shoes, and belongings left behind in the chaos.
An unnamed official confirmed the death toll and the number of injured but did not disclose further details. Authorities reported that the stampede took place around 1 a.m. local time (1930 GMT), though the exact cause remains unclear.
Eyewitnesses described a powerful surge of people near the riverbanks, leading to a crush.
Vijay Kumar, a devotee from Patna, recounted how barricades and police with batons were positioned ahead of the crowd, but the pressure from behind became overwhelming, causing people to fall.
“There were people lying everywhere—I couldn’t tell if they were dead or alive,” he said.
Another woman, who declined to share her name, told ANI news agency that she and her mother were among those who fell. “People kept stepping on us. I survived, but my mother did not,” she said.
Rescue and Response
Authorities swiftly deployed the Rapid Action Force (RAF), a special crisis-response unit, to manage the situation and aid rescue efforts.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi contacted Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, instructing immediate action to restore order and provide relief.
In response, Adityanath urged devotees to use the nearest riverbanks for their holy dip instead of crowding the main confluence.
The Maha Kumbh Mela, the world’s largest religious gathering, has already drawn immense crowds, with nearly 200 million attendees in just two weeks.
Among those present were high-profile figures such as Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, billionaire businessman Gautam Adani, and international celebrities like Coldplay’s Chris Martin and actress Dakota Johnson.
Modi himself is expected to visit the festival next month.
Wednesday’s massive turnout was driven by a rare celestial alignment occurring for the first time in 144 years, with authorities anticipating a record-breaking 100 million pilgrims.
Following the stampede, the festival’s ‘royal bath’ was briefly suspended but later resumed.
Political Reactions and Crowd Management
The incident has sparked political criticism, with Congress party leader Mallikarjun Kharge blaming poor planning, excessive VIP movement, and mismanagement for the disaster.
He urged both state and federal governments, led by Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, to improve crowd control measures.
Despite implementing enhanced security, medical services, and additional transportation options—including special trains and buses—officials struggled to manage the overwhelming influx of pilgrims.
AI-based crowd management software was also in use, but the sheer scale of attendees proved challenging.
This tragedy echoes a similar stampede during the 2013 Maha Kumbh Mela, which resulted in the deaths of at least 36 pilgrims, mostly women, on the festival’s most auspicious day.