Wed Jan 29 12:30:00 IST 2025: **Prayagraj Kumbh Mela Stampede Leaves Dozens Dead, Families Devastated**
PRAYAGRAJ, INDIA—A deadly stampede during the Mauni Amavasya festival at the Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj has left dozens dead and many more injured. The tragedy unfolded late at night as pilgrims rushed to take a holy dip in the Sangam, the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and mythical Saraswati rivers.
Among the victims, the most severely affected is a woman from Karnataka, Saroja, who lost four family members in the crush. Overwhelmed with grief, she repeatedly cried out, “They took away my family.” Another woman from Jaunpur, Jagvanti Devi, lost her mother and sister-in-law in the stampede, while her father was injured and her seven-year-old niece is missing. Her brother, suffering from heart disease, is yet to be informed of the tragedy.
The scene at the post-mortem house was described as horrifying, with over two dozen bodies laid out, surrounded by the cries of grieving relatives. Many waited anxiously, their anguish palpable. Health officials were forced to intervene, providing care for several distraught family members, including Saroja and Kanchan, whose husband perished in the stampede. The officials restricted them from speaking with the media.
The incident also claimed the life of Shivprasad from Jharkhand, who was attending the Kumbh Mela with his childhood friend from Odisha. His friend, Shubhendu, witnessed the tragedy and recounted their decades-long friendship, ending with heartbreak at the loss of his companion.
The sheer scale of the tragedy has left many families shattered, highlighting the immense human cost of the devastating stampede. Authorities are investigating the incident to determine the exact cause of the crush and to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
First Piper 