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India's bathing festival busy again despite 30 deaths in stampede

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The bathing festival in India resumed just hours after the tragic stampede despite 30 worshippers being killed yesterday.

Footage shows thousands of unbothered devotees near the Triveni Sangam River in Uttar Pradesh on January 29.

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

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

Police confirmed that 30 devotees were killed, 25 of them already identified, while 60 others were injured during one of the holiest events in the country.

A Rapid Action Force was deployed to restore order and assist with 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.

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