A stampede at the Maha Kumbh festival in India, the world’s largest religious gathering, resulted in at least 30 fatalities and numerous injuries early Wednesday, according to police. Millions of pilgrims were rushing to participate in a sacred ritual bath.
Prayagraj city police officer Vaibhav Krishna reported that another 60 injured individuals were transported to hospitals.
Wednesday marked a significant day within the six-week Hindu festival, with authorities anticipating a record 100 million devotees for a ritual bath at the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna, and mythical Saraswati rivers. Hindus believe this immersion cleanses past sins and ends reincarnation.
The stampede occurred as pilgrims attempted to breach barricades set up for a holy men’s procession, stated Uttar Pradesh’s chief elected official, Yogi Adityanath, in a televised address.
The festival’s main attraction is the large processions of ash-smeared Hindu ascetics to the confluence for bathing.
Indian authorities took over 16 hours to release casualty figures, despite acknowledging the loss of life, describing the incident as “extremely sad” and offering condolences.
“Suddenly, the crowd surged, and we were trapped. Many fell, and the crowd became uncontrollable,” pilgrim Sarojini told the Press Trust of India news agency. “There was no escape; people were pushing from all sides,” she added.
Distressed families waited outside a temporary hospital, seeking news of missing loved ones. Clothing, blankets, and backpacks littered the stampede site.
Millions continued to flock to the 15-square-mile pilgrimage site despite the stampede, even as police used megaphones to urge them to avoid the confluence. Adityanath advised people to bathe at alternative riverbanks.
“The situation is now under control, but a massive crowd of pilgrims remains,” Adityanath said, estimating 90 to 100 million pilgrims were present.
He stated that approximately 30 million people had participated in the holy bath by 8 a.m. Wednesday.
The Maha Kumbh festival, held every 12 years, began on January 13th. Authorities expect over 400 million attendees; nearly 150 million have already participated, including Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, and celebrities such as Coldplay’s Chris Martin.
A large tent city, complete with roads, electricity, water, 3,000 kitchens, and 11 hospitals, has been erected on the riverbanks to accommodate millions of visitors.
Around 50,000 security personnel are deployed for crowd management and law enforcement, supported by over 2,500 cameras monitoring crowd movement and density to prevent similar incidents.
Several opposition leaders criticized the federal and state governments, both led by Modi’s Bharatiya Janata party, citing “mismanagement” and “VIP culture”—referring to preferential treatment for politicians and celebrities—as contributing factors to the stampede.
“The government should improve arrangements for common devotees,” Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi posted on X.
The 45-day festival is a significant cultural event for Hindus, comprising nearly 80% of India’s 1.4 billion population. It’s also a prestigious event for Modi, whose ruling party emphasizes Hindu cultural symbols.
Previous stampedes have occurred at the Maha Kumbh festival. In 2013, at least 40 pilgrims died in a stampede at a Prayagraj train station.
Deadly stampedes are relatively common at Indian religious festivals with large crowds in confined spaces. In July, at least 116 people, mostly women and children, died in a stampede at a religious gathering’s tent camp in Hathras town.