Janice R. Andrews
LUCKNOW, India (Reuters) – A devastating crowd surge at Prayagraj’s Maha Kumbh Mela, the world’s largest religious gathering, has resulted in at least seven fatalities and numerous injuries. The incident unfolded Wednesday morning as worshippers converged to perform ritual bathing at the sacred meeting point of three rivers – the Ganga, Yamuna, and the legendary Saraswati.
The 2025 festival, which spans six weeks, had already drawn nearly 200 million participants before this tragic event. In the aftermath, personal belongings and clothing were strewn across the ground, marking the path of the deadly crush.
“It happened so fast that I couldn’t process it. I started crying,” recounted local resident Shweta Tripathi, who witnessed the tragedy. Another attendee, Abhishek Kumar, described the terrifying ordeal of trying to save women who had fallen: “It took us over an hour to reach the hospital, and we were unsure if the women we brought there were still alive.”
While official authorities have yet to release a formal statement, the incident highlights the significant challenges of managing the massive crowds that attend the Maha Kumbh Mela, an event that typically draws up to 400 million pilgrims throughout its duration. The tragedy has intensified pressure on organizers to enhance crowd control measures for the remainder of the festival.
