At least 15 people were feared killed as devotees rushed to take pre-dawn dips at the confluence of the holy Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati at the Maha Kumbh Mela coinciding with a rare alignment of celestial bodies after 144 years or the most auspicious Mauni Amavasya on Wednesday.
Another stampede at the Prayagraj (then Allahabad) railway station on Mauni Amavasya when the Maha Kumbh was last held in 2013 killed at least 36 pilgrims, mostly women. Some 30 million had gathered on the busiest day of the Kumbh Mela 12 years back.
The 2013 stampede prompted state minister Azam Khan to resign as the Mela organising committee chief. Khan maintained the incident took place outside the Mela area but he took moral responsibility and resigned.
In addition to 112 routine trains, the railways ran 69 special ones ahead of Mauni Amavasya in 2013. Ambulances could not get to scene of the stampede for two hours to evacuate the injured in 2013 when over 14,000 policemen, paramilitary forces, and commandos were deployed.
The Kumbh is the world’s largest gathering with origins in Lord Vishnu wresting a golden pitcher with a nectar of immortality from demons after a 12-day celestial fight. Four drops of the nectar are believed to have fallen to earth in Prayagraj, Haridwar, Ujjain, and Nashik, where Kumbh Mela is held every three years in rotation. The Kumbh, held once in 12 years, is called Maha or Great Kumbh. It is more auspicious and attracts the largest crowds.
Seven people were killed in stampedes at the 2010 Kumbh Mela in Haridwar, and 39 in 2003 in Nashik. About 1,000 were killed in 1954 in the worst Kumbh stampede since independence. A stampede outside Himachal Pradesh’s Naina Devi temple in August 2008 left over 160 pilgrims dead. A rumour that stones were falling from a hill top sparked the stampede when about 15,000 to 20,000 people had gathered at the shrine.
Around 70 people were injured in the stampede at Kumbh on Wednesday when a record 100 million people were expected in Prayagraj for holy dips and the authorities had increased security and medical personnel besides running special trains and buses. Tens of millions have attended Maha Kumbh Mela since it began on January 13.
Hindus believe that taking a dip at the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati rivers absolves them of their sins and brings salvation from birth and death cycle.
The “Amrit Snan” was suspended following the stampede on Wednesday. Video and photographs of the incident that went viral showed bodies and the injured being taken away on stretchers and people on the ground crying. Videos showed others at the site stepping over discarded belongings as people tried to escape the stampede.
Vivek Mishra, a content creator from Prayagraj, said the devotees, many of whom were carrying luggage, had no idea where to go after bathing. “There were large number of dustbins that pilgrims could not seen. A few fell as they lost balance. Their luggage could be seen all over. I also fell as my feet got stuck in one of the dustbins. Lost my shoes. I was left barefoot. I sustained a foot injury. I somehow stood up and saved my parents and another woman lying on the ground. Youngsters in the crowd started pushing others. This situation led to stampede.”
Officials said an initial stampede around 1am was “not serious”, but its cause was unclear. Devotees faced another stampede. They found pontoon bridges closed when they returned towards them looking for another way out.
Nearly 17.5 million devotees took the first holy dip last month at the Kumbh amid thick fog, and cold, and freezing water. The Uttar Pradesh government had said around 400 million people were expected over six weeks at the Maha Kumbh. Over 50,000 security personnel and drones were deployed as part of elaborate security measures, and to regulate the movement of devotees.
A temporary city over 4,000 hectares was set up for this year’s Maha Kumbh. As many as 150,000 tents were housing the visitors. The temporary city has 3,000 kitchens, 145,000 restrooms, and 99 parking lots. The railways was running 98 additional trains for 3,300 trips to carry devotees to Prayagraj.