Naked Indian gurus resumed the bathing festival hours after a stampede is believed to have killed 17 devotees earlier today.

Footage shows the unfazed worshippers marching toward the Triveni Sangam River in Uttar Pradesh on January 29.

The stampede early this morning has left at least 17 feared dead and many more injured. Local reports from the event put the death toll at 17 but there has been no confirmation from police.

Tens of millions had gathered to take a holy dip at the chaotic Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj when chaos erupted at around 1:30 am.

Akanksha Rana, the special executive officer for the festival, stated that the devastating stampede happened after a crowd control barrier broke.

Local officials initially feared at least 38 deaths, but other authorities and doctors have reported death tolls ranging from 15 to 50. The Indian government has not yet released official casualty figures.

A Rapid Action Force was deployed to restore order and assist in rescue efforts.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, calling for immediate support measures following the tragedy.

The Maha Kumbh festival, held every 12 years, began on January 13. It is considered the largest human gathering on Earth, celebrating India's cultural and spiritual traditions.
At least 450 million devotees are expected to participate in the holy dip during the 45-day event this year.

Crowd crushes during religious events are common in India.

On January 8, a temple stampede in Andhra Pradesh left six dead and 40 injured. Over 4,000 devotees were waiting for darshan tokens in Bairagi Pattida Park during the Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam season when a worshipper fell ill, triggering the stampede at Tirupati temple. The rush to open the gates caused the crowd to surge forward.

A chaotic scene in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, on December 20 also left at least four injured during a Shiv Mahapuran Katha recital by Pradip Mishra. Thousands gathered for the event, and pushing and shoving led to the chaos, with the women being rushed to a nearby hospital.