Families across India are reeling from the heart-wrenching loss of loved ones following a tragic crush during the Kumbh Mela festival this week. The incident, which occurred on one of the holiest days of the six-week Hindu festival, claimed at least 30 lives in Prayagraj city. Eyewitness accounts highlight severe shortcomings in crowd control measures as pilgrims rushed toward the sacred Sangam where the Ganges, Yamuna, and mythical Saraswati rivers converge.
Kaikeyi Devi from Bihar painfully recounted watching her husband get trampled, stating, “We started crying… 'Let him free!' but he never came back.” Other families are also sharing harrowing tales of delayed assistance from authorities; Taposh Roy described how his brother was left on the ground without help for too long, while Tarun Bose lamented the slow response that cost him a female relative’s life.
Some individuals are left in anguish, searching for missing family members days after the event. Manoj Kumar Sahni, desperately searching for his father, expressed his heartbreak after scouring hospitals and transit stations with no luck.
In response to the chaos, local authorities have heightened security around the festival and banned vehicle access until February 4. With the next bathing day approaching, which is expected to draw even larger crowds, the situation remains tense as families await answers and seek justice for the devastating loss.
