A deadly stampede at India’s Maha Kumbh Mela festival has resulted in multiple deaths and numerous injuries.
The incident took place in the early hours of Wednesday in India, during one of the most sacred days of the event, as millions of Hindu devotees gathered at the Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj for a holy dip in the Ganges, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers.
Authorities have confirmed 40 deaths, with the toll expected to rise as many victims remain unidentified. Witnesses described scenes of chaos as people were crushed and trampled in the overwhelming surge toward the riverbanks.
The tragedy underscores the immense scale of the festival, which was anticipated to attract over 100 million people, with more than 50 million already partaking in the sacred ritual the day before. Despite enhanced security measures, including AI-powered surveillance and drones, the sheer number of people strained crowd control systems.
This devastating incident serves as a stark reminder of the risks posed by such massive gatherings, with previous crowd-related fatalities at similar events in India.
Local authorities are working tirelessly to manage the aftermath, but the tragedy has cast a dark shadow over what is considered the world’s largest peaceful religious gathering.
(CNN)
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