New Delhi: In Prayagraj, a stampede-like situation erupted at the Maha Kumbh early on Wednesday in anticipation of the ‘Amrit Snan’ on ‘Mauni Amavasya.’ Officials claim that a significant number of pilgrims attended a holy bath on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya, causing a situation akin to a stampede and injuring numerous people.

According to reports, 30 ladies have been hurt and are receiving treatment at the primary hospital located in the Mela region.

The Uttar Pradesh administration has increased security in anticipation of the ‘Amrit Snan’ and anticipated 10 crore pilgrims to visit the Maha Kumbh in a single day.

As tens of millions gathered to take a sacred dip on the most auspicious day of the six-week Hindu festival, a stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela in northern India on Wednesday resulted in over seven fatalities and about ten injuries, according to an official.

Millions of devotees arrived shoulder to shoulder in the predawn darkness at the temporary township in Prayagraj, according to drone footage, for the sacred dip at the meeting point of the Ganga, Yamuna, and the fabled, invisible Saraswati.

Following the stampede, footage and photos showed individuals laying on the ground sobbing and bodies being removed on stretchers. Others stepped over a carpet of abandoned blankets, shoes, bags, and clothing that people had left behind as they attempted to flee the crowd.

“More than seven people have been killed in the stampede and around 10 others injured,” said an official.

There was only one stampede, according to officials, and it happened at roughly 1 a.m. local time (1930 GMT). The cause was not known.

When there was a massive rush close to the junction of the three rivers, where a holy dip is thought to be most hallowed, witnesses reported that devotees began falling on one another.

“We had barricades in front of us and police with batons on the other side. The push from behind was very powerful,…people started falling,” said Vijay Kumar, who came for the festival from the eastern city of Patna.

“There were people lying all around, I don’t know if they were dead or alive.”

A woman also told that she and her mother were among those who fell. “People kept stepping on us. I am safe but my mother has died,” she said.

According to officials, rescue operations were in progress and a Rapid Action Force (RAF), a specialised team called in during emergencies, had been sent in to put the situation under control.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and gave “directions for normalisation of the situation and relief”, reports told.

Additionally, Adityanath urged people to avoid attempting to approach the confluence and instead take a plunge at the closest riverbank.

“All of you should follow the instructions of the administration and cooperate in making arrangements,” he said on messaging platform X as the devout continued to take holy dips in other parts of the sprawling temporary city.

Nearly 200 million people have already attended the Hindu festival, which is the greatest human gathering in the world, in the two weeks leading up to Tuesday.

The guests include Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. Local media claimed that Coldplay’s Chris Martin and actress Dakota Johnson arrived in Prayagraj on Tuesday.

Next month, Modi was also anticipated to attend the festival.

The holy dip, which is regarded as the most auspicious day because of a rare alignment of celestial bodies after 144 years, was expected to draw a record 100 million people to Prayagraj’s temporary township on Wednesday.

After the incident, the ‘royal bath’ was “put on hold” for a while before continuing.

“Half-baked arrangements, VIP movement, paying more attention to self-promotion than management, and mismanagement” were the reasons given by Mallikarjun Kharge, the president of India’s biggest opposition Congress party, in a post on X.

He asked the federal and state governments, both ruled by Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, to “improve the arrangements”.

To accommodate the massive crowd, authorities had taken a number of steps, including as hiring more security and medical staff and setting up special buses and trains.