Prayagraj: A stampede at the Sangam shore during the Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj early Wednesday left several dead and many injured as tens of thousands gathered for the holy Amrit Snan on Mauni Amavasya. Local media reports suggest at least 10 fatalities, though officials have yet to confirm the exact toll.

While police and security personnel were stationed in large numbers—around 50,000 in total—to maintain law and order, an eyewitness at the scene described the pandemonium and expressed frustration with the authorities' delayed response.

The eyewitness said, “We called the CRPF and the police a long time ago, but no one has come yet. It's been half an hour, and we have taken our person to the hospital..." 

Another eyewitness at the scene recalled the harrowing scenes. Jay Prakash Swami, who witnessed the incident firsthand, shared, "She had gotten trapped under the crowd and couldn’t get up. We were all stuck in the crowd. I was the first to get out, then I helped the children and my father and then my mother."

Vidhya Sahu, another eyewitness who had travelled from Belgavi, Karnataka, recounted, "We have come from Belgavi, Karnataka. We were just walking when people from behind pushed us and took us around. There was a pole in the opposite direction, and everyone got stuck near it."

Images from the scene showed rescuers aiding the injured and police struggling to control the surging crowd. It remains unclear what triggered the panic that led to the stampede.

The Maha Kumbh festival, a once-in-12-years event, began on January 13 and is touted as the world’s largest religious congregation. More than 400 million pilgrims are expected to visit the holy site during the six-week festival. The Sangam, the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati rivers, serves as the central location for the pilgrimage.

As relief measures continue, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to review the situation at the ongoing Mahakumbh Mela in Prayagraj. The Prime Minister called for immediate support measures.