[Multiple people were killed in a crowd crush at the world’s largest religious gathering in India, the Kumbh Mela, as tens of millions of devotees went to bathe in a river on one of the most sacred days of the festival. The crush occurred on Wednesday morning as throngs of people were walking towards the riverbanks to take their holy dip.
A barrier near the river broke, causing the crush, and at least 14 bodies were received by a local hospital, with around 20 people being treated for minor injuries. Indian authorities have not confirmed the number of casualties. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a post that the incident was “extremely sad” and offered condolences to the families of the deceased.
The festival, which is considered the world’s largest peaceful gathering of people, attracts over 400 million people over six weeks. The Maha Kumbh Mela is held every 12 years and is considered a significant event for Hindus, who come to bathe in the Triveni Sangam, the confluence of three holy rivers, to purify their sins and take a step closer to “spiritual liberation”.
The crush occurred as around 100 million Hindu devotees from around the world were expected to visit the site on Wednesday and take a holy dip in the sacred waters. Witnesses described chaotic scenes, with people running in different directions and others falling over, with families being separated in the surge of people. Many people had already taken their holy dip and were resting on the riverbank when the crush occurred.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath called the incident “extremely sad” and urged people to avoid spreading rumors, saying that some devotees caught up in the crush were “seriously injured”. He also warned people against taking unnecessary risks while bathing in the river and to only bathe in designated areas.
Crowd crushes at religious gatherings in India are not uncommon, and deadly incidents have occurred in the past, often highlighting a lack of adequate crowd control and safety measures. In the past, fatal incidents have occurred at the Kumbh Mela, including in 2013, when dozens of people were killed and injured at a railway station in Allahabad as pilgrims gathered for the festival.
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