Stampede at India’s Kumbh Mela Claims 15 Lives

On Wednesday, the Kumbh Mela Festival in northern India led to multiple fatalities and injuries as a surging crowd broke through a police cordon.

The tragic stampede occurred at the world’s largest religious gathering, held on the banks of Gangs River in Uttar Pradesh state. The incident took place when thousands of worshippers assembled for a sacred ritual bath on one of the holiest days of the six-week festival. A doctor at the festival’s temporary hospital confirmed the number of casualties and mentioned that many of the injured were being treated on-site.

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“At least 15 people have died for now, others are being treated,” said the doctor, speaking anonymously.

The deadly stampede occurred when people were trampled by others making efforts to reach the river. This led to the crowd control barriers collapsing. Akanksha Rana, a local government official has confirmed that the collapse of the barricades led to the chaos, with pilgrims surging forward in a panic.

Significance of The Kumbh Mela 

In the Hindu calendar, Wednesday is significant, with millions of devotees bathing in the holy waters of the Ganges and Yamuna rivers to cleanse their sins. Following the incident, officials had to close the main bathing areas and urged the people to avoid the spot.

“We humbly request all devotees to not come to the main bathing spot,” a staff member announced. Many pilgrims, including Sanjay Nishad and his family, chose to leave the festival early in fear of further incidents.

Significantly, The Kumbh Mela, rooted in Hindu mythology, has been held for centuries, symbolising the battle between deities and demons for control of the nectar of immortality. Despite efforts to enhance safety, the festival has witnessed some of the deadliest crowd disasters in history. In 1954, over 400 people were killed in a stampede and in 2013, 36 lost their lives in a similar tragedy.