At least a dozen people have been killed in a crush at the Kumbh Mela – a huge religious festival in northern India, reports BBC, citing eyewitnesses and hospital sources.
However, there is still no official confirmation of how many people have been injured or killed, it adds.
A stampede broke out at the Maha Kumbh on Wednesday, before the ‘Amrit Snan’ during ‘Mauni Amavasya’, with an anticipated attendance of 100 million devotees. This is considered as ne of the world’s biggest religious festivals.
Scenes of “absolute chaos” have been reported at the river bank, with clothes, shoes, blankets and backpacks strewn on the ground as crowds tried to escape.
But, despite the famous bathing ritual being suspended by organisers, “tens of thousands are still trying to take the holy dip,” BBC further reports.
The Amrit Snan on Mauni Amavasya stands as the principal ceremony of the Maha Kumbh. The occasion is particularly notable this year due to ‘Triveni Yog’, an exceptional astronomical phenomenon occurring after a gap of 144 years, enhancing the day’s religious importance.
(Agencies)
