The sacred gathering at the Sangam for Maha Kumbh took a tragic turn early Wednesday as chaos unfolded. With crores of devotees rushing to take a holy dip on Mauni Amavasya, the overwhelming crowd reportedly led to multiple casualties, turning a spiritual moment into a nightmare for many.
A tragic stampede at the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, on Wednesday left around 10 people feared dead. The chaos unfolded as millions of devotees gathered to take a holy dip on the auspicious occasion of Mauni Amavasya.
Stampede Incidents At Kumbh Mela
The 1954 Kumbh Mela, the first held after India’s Independence, was a historic event but is also remembered for a devastating tragedy. On February 3, as massive crowds gathered in Allahabad (now Prayagraj) for a sacred dip on Mauni Amavasya, chaos erupted, leading to a deadly stampede. In the ensuing panic, nearly 800 people lost their lives
1986: A devastating stampede at the Kumbh Mela in Haridwar claimed the lives of at least 200 people. The tragedy unfolded when then Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Veer Bahadur Singh arrived in Haridwar, accompanied by several Chief Ministers and Members of Parliament from different states. As security personnel restricted the public from reaching the riverbanks, frustration and restlessness among the crowd escalated, eventually triggering a fatal stampede.
On February 10, 2013, a stampede broke out at Allahabad railway station during the Kumbh Mela after a footbridge collapsed, causing mass panic. The incident resulted in the loss of 42 lives and left 45 others injured.
In the early hours of 2025, around 2 AM, a dense crowd of devotees packed the Sangam and the 12-km stretch of riverbanks set up for the Maha Kumbh, creating a chaotic and overwhelming scene.
Stampedes At Temples
In 2005, a devastating stampede at Maharashtra’s Mandhardevi temple led to the deaths of more than 340 devotees.
In 2008, Rajasthan’s Chamunda Devi temple witnessed another tragic stampede, claiming at least 250 lives.
The same year, a stampede at a religious gathering at the Naina Devi temple in Himachal Pradesh resulted in the loss of 162 lives.
On July 2, 2024, Over 100 people, including women and children, tragically lost their lives in a stampede at a ‘satsang’ (prayer meeting) in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras. The event was organised by self-styled godman Bhole Baba, also known as Narayan Saakar Hari.
In October 13, 2013, A stampede during the Navratri celebrations near Ratangarh temple in Madhya Pradesh’s Datia district claimed 115 lives and left over 100 people injured. The chaos was sparked by rumours that a river bridge the devotees were crossing was about to collapse.
In January 14, 2011
A stampede in Kerala’s Idukki district – claimed at least 104 Sabarimala devotees lives, with over 40 others injured, when a jeep collided with pilgrims heading home at Pulmedu.
September 30, 2008
Nearly 250 devotees were killed with over 60 injured in a stampede triggered by bomb scare, at Chamunda Devi temple in Rajasthan’s Jodhpur city.
August 3, 2008
162 dead, 47 injured in a stampede triggered by rumours of rockslides at Naina Devi temple in Himachal Pradesh’s Bilaspur district.
January 25, 2005
More than 340 devotees were killed and hundreds were injured during an annual pilgrimage at Mandhardevi temple in Maharashtra’s Satara district. The tragedy occurred when some people fell on the slippery steps, which had become wet from coconuts being broken by other devotees.
