A tragic stampede at the Kumbh Mela festival in northern India claimed the lives of at least 15 people with many more injured in the wee hours of Wednesday.
The deadly crush occurred at the world’s largest religious gathering, held on the banks of the Ganges river in Uttar Pradesh state.
The incident took place as thousands of worshippers gathered for a sacred ritual bath on one of the holiest days of the six-week festival. A doctor at the festival’s purpose-built hospital confirmed the death toll, adding that many injured individuals were being treated on-site.
“At least 15 people have died for now, others are being treated,” said the doctor, speaking anonymously as they were not authorized to speak to the media.
The stampede, which occurred when people were trampled by others trying to reach the river, reportedly began after crowd control barriers collapsed. Local government official Akanksha Rana confirmed that the stampede started when the barricades failed, leading to chaos as pilgrims pushed forward.
One witness, Malti Pandey, a 42-year-old devotee, recounted the horrifying moment. “Suddenly, a crowd started pushing, and many people were crushed,” he said.
Wednesday marked one of the most significant dates in the Hindu religious calendar, when millions of devotees are expected to bathe in the holy waters of the Ganges and Yamuna rivers to cleanse their sins. However, due to the stampede, officials had to close the main bathing areas and urged pilgrims to avoid the site.
“We humbly request all devotees do not come to the main bathing spot,” a staff member announced over a loudspeaker. Many pilgrims, including Sanjay Nishad and his family, chose to leave the festival early in fear of further incidents.
Despite prior efforts to improve safety, the Kumbh Mela has been plagued by deadly crowd-related disasters in the past. The sheer scale of the event, with up to 400 million expected to attend before the festival’s end on February 26, often creates dangerous conditions. In response, this year, authorities implemented an extensive surveillance network with hundreds of cameras and drones, designed to monitor crowd density and prevent similar incidents. However, the tragic stampede once again highlights the challenges of managing such a massive gathering.
The Kumbh Mela, rooted in Hindu mythology, has been held for centuries, symbolizing 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.
