'There Was No Chance for Escape, There Was Pushing From All Sides'

At least 17 people were killed and many more injured in a stampede at the world's largest religious gathering early Wednesday, a doctor at a government hospital said, as millions of pilgrims rushed to dip in sacred waters during the Maha Kumbh festival in northern India. Wednesday was a sacred day in the six-week Hindu festival, and authorities expected a record 100 million devotees to engage in a ritual bath at the confluence of the Ganges, the Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati rivers. Hindus believe that a dip at the holy site can cleanse them of past sins and end the process of reincarnation, reports the AP.

The stampede happened when pilgrims tried to jump barricades erected for a procession of holy men, Uttar Pradesh state's top elected official, Yogi Adityanath, said in a televised statement. The event's main draw is the thousands of ash-smeared Hindu ascetics who make massive processions toward the confluence to bathe. Indian authorities were yet to release casualty figures, even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi acknowledged the loss of lives, calling the incident "extremely sad" and extending his condolences. The doctor in Prayagraj city said over 30 injured—five in serious condition—were brought for treatment.

"Suddenly there was pushing in the crowd, and we got trapped. A lot of us fell down and the crowd went uncontrolled," the Press Trust of India news agency quoted pilgrim Sarojini as saying. "There was no chance for escape, there was pushing from all sides," she said. Millions continued to throng the 15-square mile pilgrimage site despite the stampede, even as police urged them over megaphones to avoid the confluence. Adityanath urged people to take baths at other riverbanks instead. About 30 million people had taken the holy bath by 8am Wednesday, he said.

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The Maha Kumbh festival, held every 12 years, started on Jan. 13. Authorities expect more than 400 million people to throng the pilgrimage site in total over its 45 days. Nearly 150 million people have already attended, including Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and Home Minister Amit Shah and celebrities like Coldplay's Chris Martin. About 50,000 security personnel are stationed in the city to manage crowds, and more than 2,500 cameras monitor crowd movement and density so officials can try to prevent such crushes. The Maha Kumbh festival has had stampedes in the past. In 2013, at least 40 pilgrims who were taking part in the festival were killed in a stampede at a train station in Prayagraj.

(More Maha Kumbh festival stories.)