Tragedy Strikes Kumbh Mela: Stampede Claims Lives of Over 30 Pilgrims at Hindu Mega Festival - PRESS AI WORLD
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Tragedy Strikes Kumbh Mela: Stampede Claims Lives of Over 30 Pilgrims at Hindu Mega Festival

share-iconPublished: Wednesday, January 29 share-iconUpdated: Wednesday, January 29 comment-icon2 weeks ago 10 views
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Tragedy Strikes Kumbh Mela: Stampede Claims Lives of Over 30 Pilgrims at Hindu Mega Festival

Credited from: ALJAZEERA

At least 30 people have died and many more are injured following a stampede during the Kumbh Mela, the world’s largest religious gathering, in Prayagraj, India. The incident occurred early Wednesday as pilgrims surged towards the rivers for a sacred day of ritual bathing, coinciding with a rare planetary alignment.

Rescue efforts were swift, with teams carrying victims away from the site, which was littered with discarded clothing and belongings left behind as people fled the chaos. Eyewitness accounts highlighted the dire circumstances as crushes occurred under the weight of the throngs, where "the entire crowd fell on top of me," recalled Renu Devi, a 48-year-old pilgrim. These crowd incidents are regrettably not uncommon at Indian festivals, and the Kumbh Mela has a history of deadly occurrences.

Reports initially varied, with sources estimating casualties between 7 and over 30. Senior police officer Vaibhav Krishna confirmed, "Thirty devotees have unfortunately died," with a further ninety individuals requiring hospital treatment. Local officials said the chaos unfolded when crowd control barriers collapsed, prompting a rush for the riverside.

The Kumbh Mela, drawing hundreds of millions of Hindu devotees from across the globe, is a continuation of rituals deeply embedded in Hindu tradition, symbolizing a battle between gods and demons for immortality. This year’s festival is expected to attract around 400 million visitors by its conclusion on February 26. In a bid to ensure safety, authorities had deployed a comprehensive surveillance network including hundreds of cameras and drones; however, the recent disaster raises questions about the effectiveness of these measures.

As families of victims gathered near temporary hospitals set up for the event, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences over the tragic events. Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi criticized the government, attributing the tragedy to poor crowd management that prioritized VIP comfort over general safety. With calls for reevaluation of safety protocols echoing louder, the Kumbh Mela's history has again highlighted the urgent need for improved crowd control measures during large religious gatherings.

This incident follows prior tragedies, such as the deaths of over 400 individuals in a single day of the 1954 festival and 36 in the 2013 event, thus underscoring the continued risks associated with large-scale religious events in India. As the festival progresses with millions participating, authorities are yet again faced with the challenging balance of ensuring safety while accommodating massive crowds.

For more information, refer to the full articles from SCMP, Le Monde, Al Jazeera, and CBS News.

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