At least 15 killed in stampede at India's Kumbh Mela festival

A stampede at one of the world's largest religious gatherings has resulted in multiple deaths and numerous injuries. According to Agence France-Presse, a doctor stated that at least 15 people were killed in a stampede during the Kumbh Mela festival in India on Wednesday.

Hindus believe that bathing at the confluence of holy rivers during the Kumbh Mela can wash away sins and break the cycle of rebirth. It is expected that over 400 million people will flock to the Indian city. An unnamed doctor in Prayagraj stated, "At least 15 people have died so far and others are being treated," adding that he was not authorized to speak to the media.

Rescue teams, along with pilgrims, carried the deceased away from the scene of the accident, while clothing, shoes, and other discarded items littered the ground. Police moved around the site, carrying the bodies of the deceased covered with thick blankets. Dozens of relatives anxiously waited for news outside a temporary hospital set up for the festival, about 1 kilometer from the accident site.

A Reuters witness saw several bodies as he followed dozens of ambulances heading to the riverbank where the incident occurred. Officials stated that the initial stampede, which occurred around 1 a.m. local time, was "not serious," but the cause was unclear. However, witnesses reported that people trying to escape encountered another stampede at the exit points. They then returned to a pontoon bridge, seeking other exits, only to find that it had been closed by authorities.

A devotee named Ravan said, "I saw many people falling and being trampled... many children and women got lost and were crying for help." Ravan, who only gave his first name, had traveled from the financial hub of Mumbai to attend the festival. Officials stated that a special force called in during crises, the Rapid Action Force (RAF), has been deployed to control the situation, and rescue operations are underway.

According to ANI news agency, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and called for "immediate support measures." Festival special officer Akansha Rana told the Indian Press Institute that a "stampede-like situation" occurred after a festival barrier broke. A 42-year-old pilgrim, Malti Pandey, stated that he was heading to the river for a bath along a barricaded walking route when the stampede happened.

"Suddenly, the crowd started pushing, and many people were crushed," he said. Given the risk of deadly crowd incidents, police installed hundreds of cameras this year at the festival site and on roads leading to the vast camp, mounted on poles and on a high-altitude drone fleet. It is expected that over 400 million people will flock to the northern city of Prayagraj for the Hindu festival during the one-and-a-half-month-long celebration.

The Kumbh Mela originates from Hindu mythology, representing a battle between gods and demons over a pot of immortal nectar. The six-week festival is the most important milestone on the Hindu religious calendar. Millions were expected to attend the sacred bathing ritual at the confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna rivers on Wednesday. It is believed that at least 400 people died in a stampede during the Kumbh Mela in 1954, and subsequent stampedes at other festivals have also resulted in dozens of deaths.

In 2013, the last time the festival was held in the northern city of Prayagraj, another 36 people were trampled to death.