Indian officials have launched an investigation into the stampede during the Maha Kumbh Mela Hindu festival that resulted in the deaths of numerous devotees. This incident occurred as millions gathered for a “holy dip” in the sacred river waters, part of the six-week event, according to reports.
Authorities reported that 30 individuals lost their lives in the chaos at the world’s largest assembly of people, with 90 others injured; however, sources informed Reuters that the actual death toll was closer to 40.
Some witnesses described a significant surge toward the rivers that caused devotees to fall onto one another, while others noted that the closing of access routes to the water caused the densely packed crowd to halt, leading to people collapsing from suffocation.
Injured individuals were transported to hospitals following the stampede.
“The government has decided to conduct a judicial inquiry into the incident. We have established a three-member judicial commission for this purpose,” stated Uttar Pradesh state Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath during a press conference.
More than 76 million individuals had already taken a dip at the confluence of three holy rivers in Prayagraj, located in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, until 8pm local time (2:30pm Irish time) yesterday, according to officials.
Since the festival commenced two weeks ago, nearly 280 million people have participated, which includes federal ministers, industrialists, and celebrities.
This Hindu festival, celebrated every 12 years, is anticipated to attract around 400 million devotees in 2025, as estimated by officials. In comparison, the Haj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia welcomed 1.8 million participants last year.
Devout Hindus hold the belief that immersing themselves at the meeting point of the three sacred rivers—the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati—cleanses them of sins and offers salvation from the cycle of birth and rebirth.
Since the festival began two weeks ago, nearly 280 million people have attended.
Opposition leaders have attributed the stampede to poor management and have called on the government to enhance festival preparations, while local media suggested that improved crowd management strategies are essential to avoid such tragedies in the future.
“There is considerable room for enhancing crowd management at the Kumbh,” asserted the Hindustan Times in an editorial.
“It is clear that more personnel need to be deployed, and better planning is crucial—incorporating both ground resources and advanced technology,” it continued, emphasizing that measures must be taken to prevent a recurrence of this disaster at the upcoming three holy dips scheduled in the coming weeks.
