Indian authorities have ordered a probe into a deadly stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela festival that killed dozens of devotees on Wednesday. The tragedy occurred as millions gathered for a 'holy dip' in the sacred river waters, marking a significant day in the six-week-long event.
Police reported that at least 30 people lost their lives and 90 were injured in the crush. However, sources suggested that the death toll could be nearly 40. Witnesses described chaotic scenes as a massive push towards the rivers caused devotees to fall over each other. Others blamed the closure of routes leading to the water, which brought the dense crowd to a standstill, leading to suffocation and collapse.
\"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 announced late on Wednesday. \"The judicial commission will look into the entire matter and submit its report to the state government within a time limit.\"
Officials stated that more than 76 million people took a dip at the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and mythical Saraswati rivers in Prayagraj on Wednesday alone. Since the festival began two weeks ago, nearly 280 million people have participated, including federal ministers, industrialists, and celebrities. The Maha Kumbh Mela, held every 12 years, is expected to draw some 400 million devotees in 2025.
Devout Hindus believe that bathing at the confluence of the sacred rivers absolves them of sins and brings salvation from the cycle of birth and death. While devotees take holy dips every day during the festival, specific dates are considered particularly auspicious and are called \"royal\" dips. Wednesday was one such day, with three more scheduled before the festival concludes.
Opposition leaders have criticized the government's handling of the event, blaming mismanagement for the tragedy and urging authorities to improve festival arrangements. Local media echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the need for better crowd planning to prevent such incidents.
\"There is much scope for improving crowd management at the Kumbh,\" stated 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.\"
As the festival continues, authorities face the challenge of balancing the spiritual significance of the event with the safety of millions of participants. Ensuring that a tragedy like this does not recur is paramount, especially with the upcoming royal dips drawing even larger crowds.
Reference(s):
India orders probe into Hindu festival stampede that killed dozens
cgtn.com
