More than 7 dead in stampede at Maha Kumbh Mela

More than seven people were killed and around 10 others injured in a stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela in northern India on Wednesday, according to officials, as tens of millions gathered for the most auspicious day of the six-week Hindu festival.

Drone footage captured millions of devotees arriving in the early hours at the temporary township in Prayagraj for the sacred river dip.

Following the stampede, images and video showed bodies being carried away on stretchers, people crying on the ground, and discarded belongings scattered as people attempted to flee.

A Reuters witness observed several bodies as ambulances rushed to the riverbank where the incident occurred.

The stampede, which occurred around 1 a.m. local time (1930 GMT), was initially deemed "not serious," though its cause remains unclear. Witnesses reported that devotees attempting to escape the first stampede were caught in another at an exit.

Some returned to the pontoon bridges, only to find authorities had closed them. "I saw many people falling and getting trampled, with children and women lost and crying for help," said Ravin, a devotee from Mumbai.

The Rapid Action Force (RAF) was deployed to control the situation, and rescue operations were underway.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, urging immediate support, while Adityanath called for people to take dips at nearby riverbanks instead of trying to reach the festival’s main site.

The 'royal bath' was called off following the incident, and authorities had already implemented extensive measures, including extra security, medical teams, and crowd management software.

A similar stampede occurred during the last Maha Kumbh Mela in 2013, resulting in the deaths of at least 36 pilgrims.