Tue Jan 28 23:48:15 UTC 2025: **Stampede at Maha Kumbh Mela Leaves Multiple Casualties**
Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India – A stampede at the Sangam river confluence during the Maha Kumbh Mela festival in Prayagraj on Wednesday, January 29, 2025, resulted in multiple injuries and feared casualties. The incident occurred during the Mauni Amavasya, the most significant ritual of the Kumbh Mela, which draws tens of millions of pilgrims for a holy bath. This year’s event was amplified by a rare celestial alignment, the ‘Triveni Yog’, occurring for the first time in 144 years.
The stampede was triggered when a barrier broke, according to Akanksha Rana, Officer on Special Duty for the Mela. While the exact number of casualties remains unclear, several injured pilgrims were transported to the central hospital established within the Mela area. Witnesses described scenes of uncontrolled pushing and a desperate struggle to escape the surging crowd. One pilgrim, Sarojini from Karnataka, recounted a terrifying experience of being trapped and pushed down in the chaos.
The incident occurred in the early hours of the morning as a massive crowd converged on the Sangam and other ghats along the 12-km stretch of riverbanks. Authorities had issued an advisory on Tuesday urging pilgrims to follow crowd-management guidelines, including using designated lanes, avoiding lingering at ghats, and remaining patient at barricades. Despite these warnings, the sheer number of pilgrims overwhelmed the safety measures.
The Triveni Sangam, the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers, holds immense religious significance for Hindus. The investigation into the stampede is underway.
First Piper 