India has ordered an investigation into the tragic stampede that occurred at the Maha Kumbh Mela Hindu festival, which left dozens of devotees dead and many more injured. 😢
On Wednesday, millions of pilgrims gathered at the sacred confluence of three rivers for a \"holy dip\" during the six-week event. Officials reported that over 76 million people took part that day alone! 🙏
Witnesses described chaotic scenes as the massive crowd surged towards the river, causing people to fall and suffocate. Some said that route closures led to a standstill, contributing to the disaster. 😟
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced, \"The government has decided that a judicial inquiry of the incident will be done. For this, we have formed a three-member judicial commission.\" 🕵️♂️
The festival, held every 12 years, is the world's largest gathering of humanity. So far, nearly 280 million people have attended since it began two weeks ago, with expectations of reaching 400 million in 2025! 🤯
Devout Hindus believe that taking a dip at the meeting point of the Ganga, Yamuna, and mythical Saraswati rivers absolves them of sins and frees them from the cycle of birth and death. 🌊✨
Opposition leaders blamed the tragedy on mismanagement and called for improved arrangements. Local media echoed these concerns, emphasizing the need for better crowd planning to prevent future incidents. 📰
\"There is much scope for improving crowd management at the Kumbh,\" stated an editorial in the Hindustan Times. \"More personnel and better planning are needed—using both ground resources and modern technology.\" ⚙️
With three more \"royal dips\" scheduled before the festival ends, authorities are under pressure to ensure the safety of millions of devotees. Let's hope for a safer conclusion to this sacred event. 🤞
Reference(s):
India orders probe into Hindu festival stampede that killed dozens
cgtn.com
