In a tragic turn of events, a stampede at India's massive Maha Kumbh Mela festival claimed the lives of dozens of devotees on Wednesday. As millions gathered for a sacred \"holy dip\" in the confluence of three rivers, chaos ensued, leading to heartbreaking losses. 😢
Police reports confirm that at least 30 people lost their lives and 90 were injured during the crush, but some sources suggest the death toll might be closer to 40. Witnesses described a massive push towards the riverbanks, with some devotees falling and others collapsing due to suffocation as routes became clogged.
\"The government has decided that a judicial inquiry of the incident will be done,\" announced Uttar Pradesh's Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. \"We have formed a three-member judicial commission to look into the entire matter and submit its report to the state government within a time limit.\"
On that fateful day alone, over 76 million people took a dip at the sacred site in Prayagraj, Northern India. Since the festival began two weeks ago, nearly 280 million devotees have participated, including government officials, business leaders, and celebrities.
A Festival of Faith and Massive Crowds
The Maha Kumbh Mela, held every 12 years, is the world's largest human gathering. Devout Hindus believe that immersing themselves in the waters where the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati rivers meet can absolve them of sins and break the cycle of rebirth. ✨
Despite the tragedy, the festival is expected to draw even more participants in 2025, with officials estimating around 400 million attendees. That's more than double the population of Brazil! 😮
Calls for Better Crowd Management
Opposition leaders and local media have criticized the event's organization, blaming mismanagement for the deadly stampede. \"There is much scope for improving crowd management at the Kumbh,\" noted an editorial in the Hindustan Times. \"More personnel have to be deployed, and better planning is needed—using both ground resources and modern technology.\"
With three more sacred \"royal dips\" scheduled in the coming weeks, there are growing demands to ensure such a tragedy doesn't happen again. Safety measures are being called into question as millions continue to flock to the festival for spiritual solace.
Our hearts go out to those affected by this tragedy. 💔 Let's hope for safer celebrations in the future.
Reference(s):
India orders probe into Hindu festival stampede that killed dozens
cgtn.com
