At least 15 people die in India as a result of riots at a religious festival
Kyiv • UNN
At least 15 people were killed in a stampede during the Hindu Kumbh Mela pilgrimage in the city of Prayagraj. The incident occurred at night near the arena of ascetics during the holy bathing.
Doctors reported that there were many injured, some in serious condition.
Transmits to UNN with reference to AFP.
At least 15 people have been trampled to death in Prayagraj, a city in northern India where the Hindu pilgrimage of Kumbh Mela takes place.
For reference
Kumbh Mela is a major religious event, billed as the largest human gathering on the planet, that every 12 years brings together crowds of Hindu believers who bathe in the confluence of two sacred rivers to wash away their sins.
It is expected that by February 26, the Hindu Kumbh Mela pilgrimage will attract a total of 400 million believers.
A tragic incident the day before
The stampede took place between one and two in the morning (19:30-20:30 GMT on Tuesday) near the ascetics' arena, where barricades were erected to keep the crowd from taking a holy bath. Yogi Adityanath, the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, where the city of Prayagraj is located, told the media.
An AFP photographer present at the scene saw ambulances taking away many of the victims and covering others with blankets, in some cases in an inert state.
In a post on X, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences to “the devotees who have lost their loved ones” but did not specify the number of deaths.
“The local administration is helping the victims in every way possible,” he said.
AddendumAddendum
The Kumbha Mela festival also recorded other deadly episodes. In 1954, more than 400 people were trampled or drowned in just one day.
Recall
67 people, including 35 children, were killed in a stampede at three Christmas charity events in Nigeria. The tragedies occurred in the states of Oyo, Anambra and the capital Abuja due to insufficient security measures.
