A stampede at the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj, India left 30 people dead and at least 60 injured early Wednesday morning, as hundreds of thousands gathered to take a ritual dip at the Sangam.
The incident occurred shortly after 1:30 am as devotees headed towards the Sangam Nose, the strip of land where the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati rivers converge.
According to Indian Express, the stampede took place during Mauni Amavasya, an auspicious day for a sacred bath.
The injured were quickly taken to medical facilities on the Maha Kumbh grounds and hospitals in the city.
Although the ritual baths were temporarily halted following the incident, they resumed by the afternoon. By evening, over 10 crore people had participated in the dip, according to official estimates.
Witnesses reported that the stampede occurred when a crowd heading towards the Sangam collided with those returning.
Another account suggested that the collapse of barricades meant for akharas, the spiritual groups taking part in the Amrit Snan, led to people charging towards the Sangam Nose.
Vaibhav Krishna, DIG Kumbh, confirmed that 30 people had died, with 25 of them identified, while 60 others were injured.
In response to the tragedy, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced the formation of a probe committee to investigate the cause of the incident.
He also expressed his condolences and offered an ex-gratia payment of Rs 25 lakh to the families of the deceased.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed his sorrow over the loss of lives, calling the incident “extremely sad.”
He conveyed his deepest condolences to the victims’ families and wished for the swift recovery of the injured.
Modi further assured that the local administration was providing all possible assistance, adding that he had been in constant contact with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
