NewDelhi: At least 10 people were killed in a stampede at the Maha Kumbh Sangam in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, in the wee hours of Wednesday. The number of victims remains to be officially verified, but hospital sources have said at least 10 people have died so far. The bodies have been sent to Motilal Nehru Medical College in Prayagraj for postmortem.
The stampede occurred before the ‘Amrit Snan’ of ‘Mauni Amavasya,’ one of the most important rituals of the Maha Kumbh, as a few devotees got injured. According to officials, the chaos occurred when a large crowd breached a barrier. Overcrowding due to the failure to separate lanes on both sides of the Triveni Sangam led to jostling as pilgrims rushed to dip in holy waters.
Others have tried to flee, and the stampede broke out. In the subsequent pandemonium, hundreds fled in every direction, stepping on and kicking pilgrims who were sleeping on the grounds. Officials then set up a barricade to divide the paths to the Sangam.
Emergency services were immediately called to the scene, and the injured were taken to local hospitals. The Nirmaan hospital was initially set up for female patients at around 25-30, and later, they gained access to the Maha Kumbh grounds. The ‘Amrit Snan,’ the mass holy dip in the Ganga, was delayed after the incident, and some akhadas cancelled the ritual.
The Amrit Snan of Mauni Amavasya is the most significant ritual of the Maha Kumbh. Given its rarity, such celestial events have made this year’s iteration unique, as has the event ‘Triveni Yog,’ held in a 144-year cycle.
A devotee told ABP News that there were not enough police at the site. “The police were unable to estimate the crowd. They had no control. This could have been averted had they been prepared,” he said.
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