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Observer
30-01-2025
- Politics
- Observer
30 dead, 90 injured in India festival stampede
Prayagraj: Police said on Wednesday that 30 people had been killed and 90 injured in an early morning stampede at the Kumbh Mela, a Hindu mega-festival in India's northern city of Prayagraj. "Thirty devotees have unfortunately died," senior police officer Vaibhav Krishna told a news conference. "Ninety injured were taken to the hospital." As pilgrims rushed to participate in a sacred day of ritual bathing, people sleeping and sitting on the ground near the rivers told AFP they were trampled by huge swells of devotees coming towards them in the darkness. "The entire crowd fell on top of me, trampling me as it moved forward," pilgrim Renu Devi, 48, said. "When the crowd surged, elderly people and women were crushed, and no one came forward to help." Rescue teams carrying victims from the accident site weaved through piles of clothes, shoes and other discarded belongings. Police were seen carrying stretchers bearing the bodies of victims draped with thick blankets. Prime Minister Narendra Modi confirmed people had died in the incident, calling it "extremely sad" and offering his "deepest condolences" to relatives of those killed. "I wish for the speedy recovery of all injured," he added. Dozens of relatives were anxiously waiting for news outside a large tent serving as a purpose-built hospital for the festival near the disaster site. The six-week Kumbh Mela is the single biggest milestone on the Hindu religious calendar. Wednesday marks one of the holiest days in the festival, when saffron-clad holy men typically lead millions in a sin-cleansing ritual of bathing at the confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna rivers. Instead, officials were strolling the festival with loudhailers pleading with pilgrims to keep away from the disaster site and bathe at other locations. "We humbly request all devotees do not come to the main bathing spot," said one festival staffer, his voice crackling through his megaphone. But even as news of the stampede spread, crowds pushed through cordons to move towards the riverbed, shrugging off aggressive orders from police to turn back. Officials from the Uttar Pradesh state government, responsible for staging the festival, said millions continued to bathe in the hours after the stampede. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath told reporters that medical workers were treating those seriously injured in the crush, adding that the situation was "under control". Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi blamed the disaster on poor crowd control that prioritised the comfort of distinguished visitors. "Mismanagement and the administration's special focus on VIP movement instead of common devotees are responsible for this tragic incident," he wrote on social media. Railway police superintendent Ashtabhuja Singh told AFP that special train services taking pilgrims to Prayagraj were still running, after earlier reports that they had been halted due to crowding in the city. "My family got scared, so we're leaving," attendee Sanjay Nishad said.
Express Tribune
30-01-2025
- General
- Express Tribune
Devotees return to Maha Kumbh festival in India despite stampede fatalities
Listen to article Millions of devout Hindus thronged the northern Indian city of Prayagraj on Thursday for the Maha Kumbh festival, a day after dozens died in a stampede on the most auspicious day of the six-week event. But some devotees remained nervous after the fatal crush. Krishna Soni, a student from the western state of Rajasthan's Bikaner city, and his family of eight linked themselves together with string to ensure they would not lose each other in the massive crowd. "We are walking very carefully and trying to avoid the crowded areas," he told Reuters. Police said 30 people were killed on Wednesday in a crush at the world's biggest gathering of humanity, and 60 were injured, but sources told Reuters the death toll was nearly 40. Indian authorities have ordered a probe into the incident when people surged towards a river to take a dip in its waters as part of the festival. More than 76 million people on Wednesday took what is called a "royal dip" in the river waters up until 8 p.m., and three more "royal dips" are scheduled before the festival ends. On Thursday, more than nine million people took a "holy dip" at the confluence of three sacred rivers by 10 a.m, officials said. Devotees take 'holy dips' everyday, but on specific dates the practice is considered particularly sacred and is called a "royal" dip, attracting larger crowds. Devout Hindus believe that taking a dip at the confluence of three sacred rivers - the Ganga, Yamuna, and mythical Saraswati - absolves them of sins and brings salvation from the cycle of birth and death. The Hindu festival - held every 12 years - is expected to draw some 400 million devotees in 2025, officials estimate. The Haj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, in comparison, drew 1.8 million people last year. Railway and bus stations across Prayagraj saw a surge in crowds on Thursday as people continued to arrive for the festival, but authorities said the rush was being managed and there were no incidents. "Things are now totally under control," senior police officer Vaibhav Krishna told Reuters. Opposition leaders have blamed the stampede on mismanagement and urged the government to improve festival arrangements, while local media said on Thursday that better crowd planning was needed to prevent such incidents. "There is much scope for improving crowd management at the Kumbh," the Hindustan Times newspaper said in an editorial. Authorities erected a temporary city across 4,000 hectares (9,990 acres) on the river banks - the size of 7,500 football fields - with 150,000 tents to accommodate devotees and almost an equal number of toilets. More than 50,000 personnel are on guard to ensure the safety of visitors.
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Yahoo
Top Asian News 5:57 a.m. GMT
Police say at least 30 people have died in a stampede at the massive Maha Kumbh festival in India PRAYAGRAJ, India (AP) — At least 30 people were killed and many more injured in a stampede at the world's largest religious gathering early Wednesday, police said, as millions of pilgrims rushed to dip in sacred waters during the Maha Kumbh festival in northern India. Police officer Vaibhav Krishna in Prayagraj city said another 60 injured were rushed to hospitals. Wednesday was a sacred day in the six-week Hindu festival, and authorities expected a record 100 million devotees to engage in a ritual bath at the confluence of the Ganges, the Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers. Hindus believe that a dip at the holy site can cleanse them of past sins and end the process of reincarnation.
Express Tribune
30-01-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
30 dead at India's Kumbh Mela stampede
PRAYAGRAJ, INDIA: A pre-dawn stampede at the world's largest religious gathering killed at least 30 people in India on Wednesday, with many more injured after a surging crowd spilled out of a police cordon and trampled bystanders. Deadly crowd incidents are a frequent occurrence at Indian religious festivals, including the Kumbh Mela, which attracts tens of millions of devotees every 12 years to the northern city of Prayagraj. As pilgrims rushed to participate in a sacred day of ritual bathing, people sleeping and sitting on the ground near the rivers told AFP they were trampled by huge swells of devotees coming towards them in the darkness. "The entire crowd fell on top of me, trampling me as it moved forward," pilgrim Renu Devi, 48, told AFP. "When the crowd surged, elderly people and women were crushed, and no one came forward to help." Rescue teams carrying victims from the accident site weaved through piles of clothes, shoes and other discarded belongings. Police were seen carrying stretchers bearing the bodies of victims draped with thick blankets. "Thirty devotees have unfortunately died," senior police officer Vaibhav Krishna told reporters during an evening news conference at the festival. "Ninety injured were taken to the hospital." Krishna's briefing came nearly 18 hours after the stampede and was the first official death toll given by authorities. Festivities had otherwise been allowed to continue almost as normal during the day, with millions still trekking to the riverbanks to immerse themselves in the water. Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the stampede "extremely sad" and offered his "deepest condolences" to relatives of those killed. "I wish for the speedy recovery of all injured," he added. Dozens of relatives were anxiously waiting for news outside a large tent serving as a purpose-built hospital for the festival near the disaster site. The six-week Kumbh Mela is the single biggest milestone on the Hindu religious calendar. Wednesday marks one of the holiest days in the festival, when saffron-clad holy men lead millions in a sin-cleansing ritual of bathing at the confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna rivers in tandem with a planetary alignment in the Solar System. Officials had attempted to divert crowds away from the disaster site, instructing them to bathe at other locations. "We humbly request all devotees do not come to the main bathing spot," said one festival staffer, his voice crackling through his megaphone. "Please cooperate with security personnel." But even as news of the stampede spread, crowds pushed through cordons to move towards the river, shrugging off aggressive orders from police to turn back. Officials from the Uttar Pradesh state government, responsible for staging the festival, said millions had participated in the ritual bathing through the day. Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi blamed the disaster on poor crowd control that prioritised the comfort of distinguished visitors. "Mismanagement and the administration's special focus on VIP movement instead of common devotees are responsible for this tragic incident," he wrote on social media. Railway police superintendent Ashtabhuja Singh told AFP that special train services taking pilgrims to Prayagraj were still running, after earlier reports that they had been halted due to crowding in the city. "My family got scared, so we're leaving," attendee Sanjay Nishad told AFP. The Kumbh Mela is rooted in a mythological Hindu battle between deities and demons for control of a pitcher containing the nectar of immortality.
Voice of America
30-01-2025
- Politics
- Voice of America
Police say at least 30 died in stampede at India's Maha Kumbh festival
At least 30 people were killed and many more injured in a stampede at the world's largest religious gathering early Wednesday, police said, as millions of pilgrims rushed to dip in sacred waters during the Maha Kumbh festival in northern India. Police officer Vaibhav Krishna in Prayagraj city said another 60 injured were rushed to hospitals. Wednesday was a sacred day in the six-week Hindu festival, and authorities expected a record 100 million devotees to engage in a ritual bath at the confluence of the Ganges, the Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers. Hindus believe that a dip at the holy site can cleanse them of past sins and end the process of reincarnation. The stampede happened when pilgrims tried to jump barricades erected for a procession of holy men, Uttar Pradesh state's top elected official, Yogi Adityanath, said in a televised statement. The event's main draw is the thousands of ash-smeared Hindu ascetics who make massive processions toward the confluence to bathe. Indian authorities took more than 16 hours to release casualty figures, even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi acknowledged the loss of lives, calling the incident "extremely sad" and extending his condolences. "Suddenly there was pushing in the crowd, and we got trapped. A lot of us fell down and the crowd went uncontrolled," the Press Trust of India news agency quoted pilgrim Sarojini as saying. "There was no chance for escape, there was pushing from all sides," she said. Distressed families lined up outside a makeshift hospital, desperate for news of missing loved ones. Clothes, blankets and backpacks were strewn around the site of the stampede. Millions continued to throng the 4,000-hectare pilgrimage site despite the stampede, even as police urged them over megaphones to avoid the confluence. Adityanath urged people to take baths at other riverbanks instead. "The situation is now under control, but there is a massive crowd of pilgrims," Adityanath said, adding that 90 million to 100 million pilgrims were at the site. About 30 million people had taken the holy bath by 8 a.m. Wednesday, he said. The Maha Kumbh festival, held every 12 years, started on Jan. 13. Authorities expect more than 400 million people to throng the pilgrimage site in total. Nearly 150 million people have already attended, including Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and Home Minister Amit Shah and celebrities like Coldplay's Chris Martin. A sprawling tent city has been built on the riverbanks to accommodate the millions of visitors, with roads, electricity and water, 3,000 kitchens and 11 hospitals. About 50,000 security personnel are stationed in the city to maintain law and order and manage crowds, and more than 2,500 cameras monitor crowd movement and density so officials can try to prevent such crushes. Several opposition leaders criticized the federal and the state government, both led by Modi's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata party, and blamed the stampede on "mismanagement" and "VIP culture" — the latter referring to what they say is preferential treatment for politicians and celebrities. "The government should make better arrangements to meet the needs of common devotees," Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi wrote on social platform X. The 45-day festival is a significant cultural event for India's Hindus, who make up nearly 80% of the country's more than 1.4 billion people. It's also a prestige event for Modi, whose ruling party boasts of promoting Hindu cultural symbols. The Maha Kumbh festival has had stampedes in the past. In 2013, at least 40 pilgrims who were taking part in the festival were killed in a stampede at a train station in Prayagraj. Deadly stampedes are relatively common around Indian religious festivals, where large crowds gather in small areas. In July at least 116 people died, most of them women and children, when thousands at a religious gathering in northern India stampeded at a tent camp in Hathras town.
