🇮🇳 Tragedy struck at India's massive Maha Kumbh Mela festival when a stampede claimed the lives of dozens of devotees on Wednesday. As millions gathered for a sacred \"holy dip\" at the confluence of three revered rivers, chaos unfolded that left communities grieving and authorities scrambling for answers.
Witnesses described a sudden surge toward the waters of the Ganga, Yamuna, and mythical Saraswati rivers in Prayagraj, leading to a horrifying scene where people fell and were trampled. Some blamed the closure of routes to the water, causing overcrowding and suffocation.
By 8 p.m. that day, over 76 million people had participated in the holy dip—a testament to the festival's colossal scale. Since the event kicked off two weeks ago, nearly 280 million devotees have attended, including prominent figures like federal ministers, industrialists, and celebrities. Talk about a crowd! 😮
In response to the tragedy, Uttar Pradesh's Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced the formation of a three-member judicial commission to investigate. \"The government has decided that a judicial inquiry of the incident will be done… and submit its report to the state government within a time limit,\" he stated.
Opposition leaders weren't holding back, blaming mismanagement for the disaster and urging improvements in festival arrangements. Local media echoed these sentiments, with the Hindustan Times calling for better crowd planning: \"There is much scope for improving crowd management at the Kumbh.\"
The Kumbh Mela, held every 12 years, is not just any festival—it's the world's largest gathering of humanity. Devout Hindus believe that taking a dip at this sacred site absolves sins and brings salvation from the cycle of birth and death. With the next one expected to draw a staggering 400 million people in 2025, better planning is more crucial than ever.
And it's not over yet. Three more 'royal dips'—dates considered especially sacred—are scheduled before the festival wraps up. Here's hoping for safer celebrations ahead. 🙏
Reference(s):
India orders probe into Hindu festival stampede that killed dozens
cgtn.com
