Festival of Faith Turns Tragic: Investigations Open into Kumbh Mela Stampede

News Desk

Islamabad: Indian authorities have launched a judicial investigation into the deadly stampede that claimed the lives of dozens of devotees during the Maha Kumbh Mela Hindu festival in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, on Wednesday.

The incident occurred as millions gathered for a “holy dip” at the confluence of three sacred rivers, marking a key ritual in the six-week religious event.

While police reported that 30 people were killed and 90 others injured in the crush, other sources suggest the death toll could be as high as 40.

Eyewitnesses described a chaotic situation where the dense crowd was pushed towards the river, leading to people falling on top of one another. Some witnesses also mentioned that the closure of certain routes to the water led to a bottleneck, causing suffocation and further panic.

In response to the tragedy, Uttar Pradesh’s Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath confirmed the formation of a three-member judicial commission to probe the incident. The commission has been tasked with submitting its findings to the state government within a set timeline.

The tragedy occurred during a pivotal moment of the Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, which attracts millions of devotees.

On Wednesday alone, more than 76 million people participated in the sacred ritual, and since the festival began two weeks ago, nearly 280 million have attended. The event is expected to draw around 400 million devotees by 2025, according to estimates.

Hindu pilgrims believe that taking a dip in the holy waters of the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati rivers offers spiritual purification and salvation from the cycle of birth and death.

The festival, held every 12 years, is a time for deep religious devotion but also presents significant logistical challenges due to the sheer number of people in attendance.

Opposition parties have criticized the state government for poor crowd management, blaming the stampede on inadequate planning.

Local media outlets, including the Hindustan Times, have echoed these concerns, calling for improved crowd control measures and the deployment of additional personnel. They also emphasized the need for modern technology to help manage the enormous crowds and avoid future disasters.

The festival is far from over, with three more ‘royal dips’ scheduled in the coming weeks. The tragic incident has raised alarm about the urgent need for better planning to ensure the safety of devotees during these peak moments of the festival.