Indian authorities have ordered a judicial probe into a deadly stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela Hindu festival that claimed the lives of dozens of devotees on Wednesday. The incident occurred as millions gathered in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, for a \"holy dip\" in the sacred confluence of three rivers as part of the six-week-long event.
Police reported that 30 people were killed in the crush, while sources told Reuters that the death toll was nearly 40, with 90 more injured. Witnesses described a massive surge towards the riverbanks that led to chaotic scenes, causing people to fall and suffocate as the dense crowd came to a standstill due to closed routes.
\"The government has decided that a judicial inquiry of the incident will be done. For this, we have formed a three-member judicial commission,\" Uttar Pradesh state Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath told reporters late on Wednesday. \"The judicial commission will look into the entire matter and submit its report to the state government within a time limit,\" he added.
On Wednesday alone, more than 76 million people participated in the ritual bathing at the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and mythical Saraswati rivers. Officials stated that nearly 280 million people have attended the festival since it began two weeks ago, including federal ministers, industrialists, and celebrities.
The Maha Kumbh Mela, held every 12 years, is expected to draw approximately 400 million devotees in 2025, according to officials. Devout Hindus believe that taking a dip at the confluence absolves them of sins and brings salvation from the cycle of birth and death.
Opposition leaders have criticized the government for mismanagement and called for improved festival arrangements. Local media echoed these concerns, emphasizing the need for better crowd planning to prevent such tragedies.
\"There is much scope for improving crowd management at the Kumbh,\" wrote the Hindustan Times in an editorial. \"There is no doubt that more personnel have to be deployed, and better planning is needed—using both ground resources and modern technology,\" it added, urging authorities to prevent a repeat of the tragedy at the three remaining 'royal dips' scheduled in the coming weeks.
While devotees take 'holy dips' daily, certain dates are considered particularly sacred and are referred to as 'royal dips'. Wednesday's event was one such occasion, with three more scheduled before the festival concludes.
