At least 30 people were killed and 60 injured in a pre-dawn stampede at India's Mahakumbh as millions of pilgrims arrived on Mauni Amavasya, a very auspicious day of the Hindu festival. Devotees gathered in the pre-dawn dark, jostling for space to take a dip in Sangam, a confluence of three holy rivers Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati.
Sudden surge of pilgrims at the Sangam, driven by the desire to take the holy dip at 3 am, which marks the start of the auspicious hour triggered the fatal stampede. Hindus believe taking the holy dip at Sangam absolves them of their sins and grants them salvation from the cycle of life and death.
Blaring sirens of ambulances and police vehicles rushing to the Sangam pierced through the religious chants echoing from loudspeakers across the Mahakumbh area. Police said barricades gave way under the pressure of the jostling. Many fell down and were crushed, people sleeping on the ground were run over. But in India, stampedes leading to multiple casualties at religious events isn't unusual...
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Video Producer: Shohini Bose
Video Editor: Abhishek Sharma