Bodies, clothes, bags lie on ground after stampede at mass Hindu gathering

29/1/2025 18:07

Bodies, clothes and bags lay scattered on the ground after a deadly stampede at the world's largest gathering of humanity, the Maha Kumbh Mela in northern India, on one of the most auspicious days in Hinduism.



Witnesses described a mass of people rushing to take a pre-dawn dip at the confluence of the three sacred rivers - the Ganga, the Yamuna, and the mythical, invisible Saraswati, at Prayagraj, which Hindus believe absolves them of all sins and frees them from the circle of life and death.



An unnamed official said at least seven people had died and dozens more had been injured in the stampede that took place in the early hours of Wednesday. But there was no confirmation of deaths or injuries from the local government, more than 12 hours after the incident.



The Maha Kumbh Mela is the world's largest congregation of humanity, attracting some 400 million people over its six weeks. By comparison, the Haj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia drew 1.8 million last year.