World
Stampede At Maha Kumbh Hindu Festival Kills 30 In India
Incident occurred as crowds rushing to sacred river confluence tried to break through barricades.
At least 30 people died in an early morning stampede at Maha Kumbh Mela, the largest Hindu festival in India, officials said on Wednesday.
Vaibhav Krishna, a senior police official, told reporters in the city of Prayagraj that 90 others were also injured in the incident.
He said 25 of the deceased had so far been identified and situation was under control.
The stampede occured when pilgrims rushing to a sacred river confluence jostled for space to take a holy dip and tried to break through barricades, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said in a televised statement.
The festival kicked off this month in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh. A staggering 400 million people are expected to attend the festival over six weeks.
Wednesday marks Mauni Amavasya – one of the most significant days of the festival. Local authorities had expected around 100 million attendees.
The Maha Kumbh takes place every 12 years on the riverbanks of Prayagraj. This year, it is being held from Jan. 13 to Feb. 26.
Prayagraj, formerly Allahabad, is considered particularly holy to Hindus, as it is home to Triveni Sangam, the sacred confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna, and mythical Saraswati rivers.
Kenya Insights allows guest blogging, if you want to be published on Kenya’s most authoritative and accurate blog, have an expose, news TIPS, story angles, human interest stories, drop us an email on [email protected] or via Telegram
-
Investigations2 weeks agoHow Did a Sh468K KRA Salary Allegedly Turn Into Sh30 Billion? Questions Deepen Over Commissioner George Obel and Ciala Resort Owner’s Wealth
-
Business2 weeks agoGreen Gold, Rotten Roots: How Kenya’s Biggest Avocado Firms Hijacked a Sh5.8 Billion Harvest Ban
-
Africa1 week agoThe $24 Million Heist at the End of the World
-
Investigations2 weeks agoSerial Scammers Strike Again: How Kelvin ‘Sonko’ Onyango and Seth Steve Okute Built a Gold Fraud Empire on Kenya’s Reputation
-
Investigations2 weeks agoThe Greek Heist: How Inform Lykos Allegedly Robbed Kenyan Taxpayers of Sh650 Million While Printing the Nation’s Exams and Ballots
-
Investigations1 week agoThe Judge, The Disgraced Magistrate, The Auctioneer-Husband, The Fixer And The Lawyer: Anatomy Of A Sh16 Million Judicial Bribery Racket
-
Business5 days agoSafaricom’s Sh1.4 Billion Reckoning: How Kenya’s Most Profitable Company Stole a Man’s Idea and Got Caught
-
Business2 weeks agoFly 748 Returns to Kenya’s Skies With Fresh Push for Affordable Coastal Travel

