MahaKumbh stampede: 30 killed, 60 injured, 25 identified

In Uttar Pradesh, 30 people were killed and 60 injured after a stampede at the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj early hours on Wednesday. The incident occurred as thousands of devotees broke through barriers while thronging the Triveni Sangam for a holy dip on Mauni Amavasya (new moon), the day of the second Shahi Snan (royal bath).Mahakumbh DIG Vaibhav Krishna informed media on Wednesday. 

#WATCH | Prayagraj, UP: DIG Mahakumbh, Vaibhav Krishna says "Before Brahma Muhurta, between 1 am to 2 am, a huge crowd gathered on the Akhara Marg. Due to this crowd, the barricades on the other side broke and the crowd ran over the devotees waiting to take a holy dip of Brahma… pic.twitter.com/ZL6KlmMf9k

— ANI (@ANI) January 29, 2025

Meanwhile, On the occasion of Mauni Amavasya, more than 57.1 million devotees took a holy dip in the Triveni waters , said an official statement from Uttar Pradesh Information Department. The ongoing religious event has witnessed an overwhelming show of faith, with millions gathering at the Triveni Sangam to mark this auspicious day of spiritual cleansing and devotion. The number of Kalpwasis, who observe month-long spiritual austerities, exceeded 1 million, adding to the spiritual fervor.
The total footfall for the ongoing Magh Mela has now surpassed 199.4 million, even as a stampede-like situation briefly occurred due to the overwhelming rush at key bathing ghats.Other key bathing dates during the Mahakumbh include February 3 (Basant Panchami), February 12 (Maghi Purnima), and February 26 (Maha Shivaratri).