Indian authorities have initiated an investigation into the tragic stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela Hindu festival, which claimed the lives of dozens of devotees on Wednesday. The incident occurred as millions gathered for a \"holy dip\" in the sacred river waters, marking a significant event in the six-week-long festival.
Police officials reported that 30 individuals lost their lives in the crowd crush, with 90 others injured. However, sources cited by Reuters indicated that the death toll might be closer to 40. Witnesses described a massive push towards the river, causing devotees to fall onto one another, while others mentioned that the closure of routes to the water led to a standstill, resulting in suffocation among the dense crowd.
Uttar Pradesh state Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath stated, \"The government has decided that a judicial inquiry of the incident will be done. For this, we have formed a three-member judicial commission.\" He added, \"The judicial commission will look into the entire matter and submit its report to the state government within a time limit.\"
On Wednesday alone, more than 76 million people took a dip at the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. Since the festival commenced two weeks ago, nearly 280 million attendees have participated, including federal ministers, industrialists, and celebrities.
The Maha Kumbh Mela, held every 12 years, is anticipated to attract approximately 400 million devotees by 2025, according to officials. In contrast, the Haj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia saw 1.8 million participants last year.
Devotees believe that bathing at the confluence of the three sacred rivers absolves them of sins and grants salvation from the cycle of birth and death. However, opposition leaders have criticized the stampede, attributing it to mismanagement, and have called on the government to enhance festival arrangements. Local media echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the need for improved crowd planning to prevent future tragedies.
\"There is much scope for improving crowd management at the Kumbh,\" stated the Hindustan Times in an editorial. \"More personnel need to be deployed, and better planning is essential—utilizing both ground resources and modern technology.\" The editorial highlighted the importance of preventing a repeat of the tragedy during the upcoming 'royal dips' scheduled before the festival concludes.
During the Maha Kumbh Mela, devotees take 'holy dips' daily, with specific dates designated as 'royal dips,' considered exceptionally sacred. Wednesday was one such day, with three more 'royal dips' planned in the coming weeks.
Reference(s):
India orders probe into Hindu festival stampede that killed dozens
cgtn.com
