INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Multiple individuals were feared dead in a crowd crush at the worlds largest spiritual festival in India on Wednesday, as 10s of millions of
fans went to bathe in a river on one of the most spiritual days of the Hindu festival.The crush at the Maha Kumbh Mela in the city of
Prayagraj took place after a barrier broke, according to Akanksha Rana, unique executive officer for the festival.Indian authorities have
not confirmed the number of casualties
Rana said early Wednesday that numerous people had actually been injured and taken to hospital however that officials were still examining
the degree of the damage.Reuters and local media reported witnesses seeing several dead bodies near the river bank where the event occurred,
and pictures from Reuters showed bodies being brought from the website on stretchers.Video by the news firm revealed ambulances racing
through huge crowds of individuals and casualties being brought to a close-by medical facility
Security workers might be seen assisting followers as scattered blankets and belongings lay scattered on the ground.Speaking to local media,
followers stated the event occurred around 1:30 a.m
local time and described disorderly scenes with individuals running in various instructions and others falling over.Suddenly, there was a
huge crowd and we got stuck somehow
Individuals began pushing strongly and we fell, one female told local media from outside the hospital.The event happened as about 100
million Hindu followers from all over the world were anticipated to check out the website on Wednesday and take a holy dip in the sacred
waters in Indias northern state of Uttar Pradesh, according to regional media reports.Wednesday marks Mauni Amavasya, one of the most
considerable days of the Maha Kumbh Mela festival, when pilgrims come to shower at the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna, and the ancient
mythical Saraswati rivers.Over six weeks, a staggering 400 million people are expected to go to the Maha Kumbh Mela, or the celebration of
the Sacred Pitcher, on the riverbanks of Prayagraj.Crowd crushes at spiritual events in India are not uncommon, and fatal occurrences have
actually occurred in the past, often highlighting an absence of sufficient crowd control and precaution
In 2013, dozens of individuals were eliminated and injured in a crowd crush at a railway station in Allahabad as pilgrims collected for that
years Kumbh Mela.Ahead of the celebration in Prayagraj, officials said additional precaution had been put in location to secure visitors,
including a security ring with checkpoints around the city staffed by more than 1,000 authorities officers.The central government said over
2,700 security video cameras powered by artificial intelligence would also be positioned around the city, kept track of by hundreds of
experts at essential locations.Aerial drones were promoted to supply security from above and, for the very first time, undersea drones
efficient in diving up to 100 meters were being triggered to provide day-and-night cover, the government added.Source: CNN-- Agencies
