10 Feared Dead In Late-Night Maha Kumbh Stampede, Say Sources

A stampede at Maha Kumbh Sangam in Prayagraj, UP, has claimed the lives of at least 10 people. Hospital sources confirmed the fatalities, but the official death toll is yet to be announced.

A massive crowd at Maha Kumbh on Wednesday morning.

Source : ABP News

At least 10 people have been killed in the late-night stampede that broke out at Maha Kumbh Sangam in Prayagraj, UP, on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday. The number of casualties has not been officially confirmed, but hospital sources said at least 10 people have died.

The sources said the bodies were sent to Motilal Nehru Medical College in Prayagraj for post-mortem. Some of the relatives of the pilgrims told ABP News that they had received news of their family members' deaths 

What Triggered The Maha Kumbh Stampede?

A stampede-like situation occurred at the Maha Kumbh on Wednesday, ahead of the 'Amrit Snan' on 'Mauni Amavasya,' leaving several devotees injured. According to officials, the chaos was triggered by a massive crowd breaking through a barrier.

Apparently, the path to go to and come from the Triveni Sangam was not separated. This led to people pushing and shoving one another as they tried to go past each other , scrambling to take a dip in the Sangam on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya.

This led to several people falling down and sparking a panic. In the chaos, people ran helter-skelter even trampling on pilgrims who were sleeping on the grounds.

Later, the authorities put up a dividing barricade to separate the approach path to the Sangam.

Ambulances were dispatched, and the injured were moved to nearby hospitals for treatment. Around 25-30 women were admitted to a hospital within the Maha Kumbh grounds. Following the incident, the 'Amrit Snan,' the mass holy dip in the Ganga, was delayed. Several akhadas called off the snan after the incident. 

The Amrit Snan on Mauni Amavasya is considered the most important ritual of the Maha Kumbh. This year, the event holds additional spiritual significance due to a rare celestial alignment called 'Triveni Yog,' which occurs once every 144 years.

A devotee told ABP News that a few police personnel were there at the spot, but the number was not enough. "The police could not anticipate the crowd. They had no control. Had they been prepared, this could have been prevented," he said.