Several people feared dead in stampede at Maha Kumbh festival

Several people were feared dead and many more injured in a stampede as tens of thousands of people rushed to take a holy bath in the river at the massive Maha Kumbh festival in northern India’s Prayagraj city, local media reported.

Distressed families lined up outside a makeshift hospital inquiring about their missing relatives, rescuers were helping the injured, and police tried to manage the crowds.

People’s belongings like clothes, blankets and backpacks were strewn around the stampede scene.

It was unclear what triggered the panic or how many people had been hurt. Some local news websites said 10 people had died.