Stampede at Kumbh Mela in India Leaves 15 Dead, Dozens Injured

At least 15 people were killed and dozens injured in a stampede at the ongoing Kumbh Mela in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday. According to local authorities, the incident occurred when barricades meant to control the crowd collapsed, triggering chaos.

A government doctor in Prayagraj, speaking anonymously, confirmed the death toll, stating that “15 fatalities have been confirmed so far, while the injured are receiving medical treatment.”

The six-week-long religious festival began on January 13 and has drawn over 400 million devotees from across India and around the world. The tragedy took place on a day when millions were expected to take a ritual bath at the confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna rivers.

Local government official Aakanksha Rana told Indian media that the stampede broke out when crowd-control barriers collapsed under pressure, leading to people falling over one another, resulting in several being trampled.

Malti Pandey, a pilgrim present at the scene, recounted: “I was heading towards the river for the holy dip when the crowd suddenly surged forward. People started pushing, and many were knocked down and crushed underfoot.”

India has witnessed several deadly stampedes at religious festivals, particularly at the Kumbh Mela, which is considered the world’s largest religious gathering:

• In 1954, a stampede at the Kumbh Mela resulted in over 400 deaths in a single day.
• In 2013, 36 people lost their lives in a similar incident during the festival.

Emergency response teams were quickly deployed to the site, evacuating victims and transporting the injured to nearby hospitals. Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident, and security measures have been intensified to prevent further mishaps.