Mahakumbh Nagar: A stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Uttar Pradesh early Wednesday left more than seven people dead and around ten others injured, officials confirmed to Reuters.

Drone footage captured millions of devotees arriving shoulder to shoulder in the pre-dawn darkness for the holy dip on Mauni Amavasya, the most auspicious day of the Maha Kumbh. The incident occurred around 1 am at the Sangam, though the exact cause remains unclear. Videos and images showed bodies being carried away on stretchers, while distraught relatives wept and abandoned belongings lay scattered as people scrambled to escape.

Officer on Special Duty for the Mela, Akanksha Rana, confirmed injuries from the incident. "Some people have been hospitalised after a barrier collapsed at the Sangam. We are still verifying the exact number of injured," she said.

Amrit Snan cancelled
Following the tragedy, the Akharas (monastic orders) called off their traditional Amrit Snan for Mauni Amavasya. However, large numbers of devotees continued to take a dip at the Sangam and other ghats.

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The Amrit Snan on Mauni Amavasya is the most significant ritual of the Maha Kumbh, expected to draw nearly 10 crore pilgrims this year. The occasion holds added spiritual significance due to the rare celestial alignment of Triveni Yog, occurring after 144 years.

"You have seen what happened this morning. All our saints and seers were ready for the snan, but after learning about the tragedy, we decided to call it off," said Mahant Ravindra Puri, president of the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad.

Traditionally, Akharas belonging to the Sanyasi, Bairagi, and Udaseen sects take the holy dip in a set sequence, preceded by a grand procession to the Sangam Ghat. The Triveni Sangam—the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati—is considered the holiest site for Hindus. Devotees believe that taking a dip during the Maha Kumbh, especially on Mauni Amavasya, cleanses sins and grants moksha (salvation).

PM Modi reviews situation
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a review call with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and directed immediate support measures, officials said.

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Eyewitnesses recounted harrowing experiences. Sarojini from Karnataka, weeping outside the hospital, said, "We came in a batch of 60 people. Suddenly, there was a surge in the crowd, and we got trapped. Many fell, and there was no way out."

A man from Chhattarpur, Madhya Pradesh, said his mother was injured and hospitalised. A couple from Meghalaya, still shaken, described their terrifying ordeal of being caught in the chaos.

Another woman at the hospital claimed, "There was nowhere to go. Some people laughed as they pushed us, while we begged them to be kind to the children."

Anticipating the massive turnout, the Mela authorities had issued an advisory on Tuesday, urging pilgrims to follow crowd-management guidelines.

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Visitors were also reminded to remain patient at barricades and pontoon bridges and to avoid jostling to prevent accidents. The administration emphasised that "all ghats at Sangam are equally sacred" and encouraged devotees to "bathe at the first ghat they reach to prevent overcrowding."

Held once every 12 years, the Maha Kumbh began on 13 January and will continue until 26 February. The Uttar Pradesh government, which is hosting the event, expects a total footfall of nearly 40 crore pilgrims, making it the largest spiritual gathering in the world.