Dozens of people are feared dead following crowd crushes at India’s Kumbh Mela festival, according to local officials at the scene, as massive crowds gathered for ritual bathing at one of Hinduism’s holiest sites.
Associated Press reported at least ten confirmed deaths, citing local sources, though some reports suggested a higher toll. The incident occurred as authorities prepare to accommodate an expected 400 million pilgrims during the six-week festival.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his “deepest condolences to the devotees who have lost their loved ones” in a statement that did not specify casualty figures.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said in a televised address that whilst the situation was “now under control”, a “massive crowd of pilgrims” remained at the site.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of desperation at nearby makeshift tent hospitals where the injured and deceased were initially taken. Personal belongings, including shoes and clothing, were scattered along the riverbank where the crush occurred.
The tragedy took place on an especially sacred day of the six-week festival, when authorities anticipated approximately 100 million devotees would perform ritual bathing at the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna, and mythical Saraswati rivers.
