January 29, (THEWILL) – Dozens of religious worshipers are feared dead and several others injured in a stampede early Wednesday, as tens of thousands of Hindus rushed to take ritual baths in sacred rivers at Maha Kumbh festival in northern India.
Distressed families lined up outside a makeshift hospital inquiring about their missing relatives. People’s belongings like clothes, blankets and backpacks were strewn around the scene of the stampede. It was not immediately clear what triggered the panic.
“Several pilgrims were injured in the stampede between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. as they tried to jump barricades erected for the movement of religious saints.
“The situation is now under control, but there is a massive crowd of pilgrims. About 30 million people had taken the holy bath by 8 a.m. Wednesday”, Uttar Pradesh state’s top elected official, Yogi Adityanath, said in a televised statement, adding that 90 million to 100 million pilgrims had congregated there.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the incident “extremely sad” and extended his condolences.
“My deepest condolences to the devotees who have lost their loved ones. Along with this, I wish for the speedy recovery of all the injured”, Modi said in a post on X.
The Maha Kumbh festival, held every 12 years, started on Jan. 13 and is the world’s largest religious gathering. Authorities expect more than 400 million devotees to engage in a ritual bath at the confluence of the Ganges, the Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers. Hindus believe that a dip at the confluence will cleanse them of their past sins and end their process of reincarnation.
Nearly 150 million people have already attended, including the likes of Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh, and Home Minister, Amit Shah and celebrities like Coldplay’s Chris Martin.
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