30 dead in stampede as over 100 million people gather at India's Maha Kumbh festival

The huge gathering of people happens every 12 years.

January 29, 2025, 4:46 AM

LONDON -- At least 30 people were killed and dozens have been injured in a stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's biggest gatherings, authorities said.

The Maha Kumbh Mela takes place every 12 years in the Indian city of Prayagraj, about 90 miles west of the holy city of Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, when an estimated 100 million people gather to bathe in holy river waters at the confluence of the Ganges, the Yamuna and the Saraswati rivers. It is considered one of the most auspicious and holy dates on the Hindu calendar.

PHOTO: India Maha Kumbh Festival
Hindu devotees gather to take a holy dip in the Sangam, the confluence of the Ganges, the Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers, on "Mauni Amavasya" or new moon day during the Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj, India, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Rajesh Kumar Singh/AP

The stampede began in the early hours Wednesday morning, according to Indian officials. The death toll and numbers of those injured are expected to rise.

It was not immediately clear what triggered the panic at the festival but Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the incident "extremely sad" and extended his condolences to those affected.

PHOTO: India Maha Kumbh Festival
Hindu devotees gather to take a holy dip in the Sangam, the confluence of the Ganges, the Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers, on "Mauni Amavasya" or new moon day during the Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj, India, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Rajesh Kumar Singh/AP

"My deepest condolences to the devotees who have lost their loved ones. Along with this, I wish for the speedy recovery of all the injured," Modi said in a post on X.

Modi added that he is in touch with his chief minister and other related authorities regarding the incident.

PHOTO: INDIA-RELIGION-HINDUISM-FESTIVAL-ACCIDENT
Pilgrims gather to take a holy dip in the sacred waters of Sangam, the confluence of Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati rivers, on the occasion of 'Mauni Amavasya' during the Maha Kumbh Mela festival, in Prayagraj on January 29, 2025. A pre-dawn stampede at the world's largest religious gathering killed at least 15 people in India on January 29, with many more injured after a surging crowd spilled out of a police cordon and trampled bystanders. (Photo by Niharika KULKARNI / AFP) (Photo by NIHARIKA KULKARNI/AFP via Getty Images)
Niharika Kulkarni/AFP via Getty Images

Authorities are expecting more than 100 million people to visit Prayagraj for the Maha Kumbh Mela -- meaning "Festival of the Sacred Pitcher" -- on Wednesday for the holy dip. It is regarded as a significant and auspicious day for Hindus due to a rare alignment of celestial bodies after 144 years.

Authorities have built a gigantic tent city on the banks of the rivers to accommodate the millions of pilgrims and tourists attending the festival -- equipped with 3,000 kitchens, 150,000 toilets, roads, electricity, water, communication towers and 11 hospitals, according to the Associated Press.

PHOTO: Kumbh Mela Stampede Kills Many
ALLAHABAD, INDIA - JANUARY 29: A deceased victim is attended to after a stampede before the 'Amrit Snan' at the Kumbh Mela on on January 29, 2025 in Allahabad, India. Local media reports said that at least 15 people had died and at least 30 were injured during stampede-like conditions at a ritual bathing event. Kumbh Mela in 2025 is a Maha Kumbh, which is a significant Hindu festival celebrated once every 144 years at Prayagraj (Allahabad).
Ritesh Shukla/Getty Images

An estimated 50,000 security personnel are also stationed in the city to help keep the peace as well as manage the tens of millions of people in the crowds.

ABC News' Somayeh Malekian and Prashun Mazumdar contributed to this report.

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