Latest newsPilgrimage festival in India: 30 dead in stampede
SDA
29.1.2025 - 16:56
dpatopbilder - An ambulance moves amidst a crowd of Hindu devotees. Photo: Deepak Sharma/AP/dpa
Keystone
At least 30 people have died in a stampede during a pilgrimage festival in India. In addition, 60 visitors to the Maha Kumbh Mela, which is considered the world's largest pilgrimage festival, were injured, said Vaibhav Krishna, the official responsible for security at the festival in the northern Indian city of Prayagraj. The festival grounds on the banks of the Ganges in the state of Uttar Pradesh were packed with millions of visitors at the time of the accident. The Hindu festival continued.
Keystone-SDA
29.01.2025, 16:56
SDA
The disaster occurred early Wednesday morning (local time) not far from the confluence of the Ganges with the Yamuna River, which is also revered as holy. Many Hindu pilgrims had reportedly already been sitting at the site where chaos suddenly broke out. They had been waiting to enter the river for a ritual ablution, Krishna said. More crowds had flocked there. In the process, security barricades were torn down, which led to the mass crush. The official emphasized that the area is now peaceful again.
"In the trap"
Pilgrims reported that they were barely able to move and escape in the confined space at the scene of the accident. "Suddenly there was pushing in the crowd and we were trapped," a woman who had traveled with a group of several pilgrims from the union state of Karnataka told Indian news channel PTI. Many people fell on top of each other, another witness told NDTV.
The injured were taken to hospital wards or clinics on the site or in the surrounding area. Many clothes and other belongings of the victims were scattered at the accident site.
Modi expresses sympathy
The situation was considered confusing for a long time. It took more than 16 hours for the authorities to give the first casualty figures. Prime Minister Narendra Modi first expressed his sympathy for the pilgrims who "lost their family members" on the X platform. He did not give a figure.
The situation was under control, explained the head of the Uttar Pradesh government, Yogi Adityanath, a few hours after the accident. However, the crowd was still massive. According to him, 80 to 100 million pilgrims were on their way to Prayagraj. Adityanath called on visitors not to believe rumors. He also did not initially give any casualty figures.
Indian broadcasters reported, citing officials, that exact figures could only be published after victims had been identified and their relatives informed. In addition, numerous pilgrims had been searching for missing relatives.
AI security cameras
The mega-festival, which covers an area of 40 square kilometers, is also a challenge for the authorities in terms of security. According to the organizers, around 40,000 security personnel are on duty to reduce the risk of mass panic. Thousands of surveillance cameras and special cameras equipped with artificial intelligence will support their efforts. Twenty-six pontoon bridges have been laid across the water to guide the streams of pilgrims in both directions along the banks.
Mass panics occur time and again during India's major religious festivals. At the Maha Kumbh Mela in 2013, 36 people lost their lives.
The six-week festival focuses on ritual ablutions at the point where the Ganges and the Yamuna join the river Saraswati, which only exists in mythology. The pilgrims want to rid themselves of their sins by taking a bath. Wednesday was one of the so-called "royal bathing days".