21.27°C Vancouver

Jan 29, 2025 8:08 PM - The Canadian Press

Dozens are injured in a stampede at the massive Maha Kumbh festival in India

Share On
dozens-are-injured-in-a-stampede-at-the-massive-maha-kumbh-festival-in-india
The Maha Kumbh festival, held every 12 years, started on Jan. 13 and is the world’s largest religious gathering.(Photo: The Canadian Press)

A stampede injured dozens of people early Wednesday as tens of thousands of Hindus rushed to take a holy bath in the river at themassive Maha Kumbh festival in northern India, local media reported.

It was not immediately clear what triggered the panic at the festival where devotees from across India had congregated in the city of Prayagraj to bathe at the confluence of the Ganges, the Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers. News agency Press Trust of India cited authorities who said injured people were sent to a hospital.

The Maha Kumbh festival, held every 12 years, started on Jan. 13 and is the world’s largest religious gathering. Authorities expect more than 400 million people to throng the pilgrimage site in total over the next six weeks.

To accommodate tens of thousands of holy men, pilgrims and tourists visiting the festival, authorities have built a sprawling tent city on the riverbanks. It’s equipped with 3,000 kitchens and 150,000 toilets and also has roads, electricity and water, communication towers and 11 hospitals.

About 50,000 security personnel are stationed in the city to maintain law and order and manage crowds. Stampedesare relatively commonaround Indian religious festivals, where large crowds gather in small areas.

Latest news

AlbertaAug 28, 2026

RCMP Seek Public’s Help to Identify Suspect in Attempted Abduction of 9-Year-Old Girl

Lloydminster RCMP are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying a person of interest in connection with the attempted abduction of a nine-year-old girl. Police received a report of the incident on August 14 and immediately launched an investigation. No further details about the circumstances have been released. As part of the investigation, RCMP investigators worked with a forensic sketch artist to create a composite sketch of the person believed to be involved. Police say the suspect’s age is unknown and describe the individual as having short hair, a nose ring and a moustache. An
dripa-repeal-petition-approved-as-harman-bhangu-takes-aim-at-eby-government
BCAug 28, 2026

DRIPA Repeal Petition Approved as Harman Bhangu Takes Aim at Eby Government

B.C. Opposition MLA Harman Bhangu has criticized Premier David Eby and the NDP government after the Elections Department approved the launch of a petition seeking to repeal the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA). Bhangu welcomed the approval, accusing the Eby government of failing to take action on what he described as a controversial law. He said British Columbians now have a direct opportunity to push for the repeal of the legislation, which he claims has raised significant concerns about jobs, land rights and the province’s future. Bhangu said the B.C. Conservativ
BCAug 28, 2026

Amid U.S. Trade War, B.C. Takes Major Steps to Remove Internal Trade Barriers

The B.C. government says provinces and territories have reached agreements on several measures aimed at removing internal trade barriers across Canada amid ongoing trade uncertainty with the United States. Jobs and Economic Development Minister Adrian Dix said the federal, provincial and territorial ministers responsible for internal trade met Thursday and approved key changes to the Canadian Free Trade Agreement. Under the changes, a 30-day service standard will be introduced for labour mobility applications across Canada. Ministers also agreed to approve free trade in services nationwide by
shooting-in-abbotsford-three-suspects-arrested
BCAug 28, 2026

Shooting in Abbotsford, Three Suspects Arrested

A shooting incident has been reported in Abbotsford. According to police, shots were fired around 6:10 a.m. Wednesday in an outdoor parking lot in the 2400 block of Clearbrook Road. Both the suspect and the victim had fled the scene before officers arrived. After several hours of investigation, detectives traced three suspects to a home in the 2300 block of Westerly Street. With assistance from the Lower Mainland Emergency Response Team, police arrested 33-year-old Ryan Sawatsky, 28-year-old Lucas Bezanson, and 34-year-old Kyle Korneik. Police later located the victim. Major Crime detectives a
32-canadians-missing-after-nepal-tibet-border-floods
CanadaAug 28, 2026

32 Canadians Missing After Nepal-Tibet Border Floods

The Canadian government has confirmed that 32 Canadians are among 1,924 people reported missing following the devastating floods and landslides along the Nepal-Tibet border. Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand and Minister for International Development Randeep Sarai said Canada’s ambassador to Nepal has provided the latest information to Global Affairs Canada. Authorities have recovered 579 bodies from the debris so far, but Nepalese authorities have not officially identified any of the recovered victims as Canadian citizens. Anand warned that the number of missing Canadians could be even h

Related News