15 dead in stampede at Kumbh Mela Festival in India

Fifteen people were killed in a stampede at the Kumbh Mela festival in India's Uttar Pradesh, with many others critically injured. The incident occurred at 1.00 am on Tuesday (January 28) in Prayagraj district.

The accident happened as a large crowd of pilgrims gathered at the Kumbh Mela ahead of Mouni Amavasya, scheduled for Wednesday (January 29).

Local sources say that pilgrims began gathering on the banks of the Ganges from Tuesday evening for a holy dip. As people rushed to complete their bath before sunrise on Wednesday, the crowd near the riverbank grew larger. At that moment, a barricade was broken, and a group of at least 60 people from Karnataka started pushing through. The ensuing panic and crowd pressure led to the stampede.

Following the stampede, videos and images showed bodies being carried on stretchers, with people sitting on the ground in tears. Clothes, shoes, blankets, and backpacks were scattered across the ground, while others ran in panic, trying to escape.

Officials confirmed that the stampede occurred at 1.00 am local time, though the exact cause of the incident remains unclear.

It’s worth noting that the Kumbh Mela in India is the largest religious gathering in the world. Held every 12 years, it attracts millions of pilgrims from both India and abroad.