Tragic Tides: Stampedes at India's Religious Gatherings

A recent stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Uttar Pradesh, India, resulted in multiple fatalities. The disaster highlights a history of tragic stampedes at religious events across India, with significant incidents occurring at temples and pilgrimages, often due to massive crowds and rumors.

Tensions mounted at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Uttar Pradesh as a perilous stampede claimed numerous lives on one of the festival’s most sacred days. The event drew tens of millions of devotees, reflecting the dire challenges of crowd management at such grand gatherings.

India has faced several stampedes over the years, with deadly incidents mostly centered around religious festivals. In January 2025, six people died at a temple in Andhra Pradesh as devotees clamored for free visit passes. Major stampedes in the past have also turned festivals like Navratri and gatherings at prominent temples into sites of tragedy.

Past tragedies include the death of 115 people during a temple festival in Madhya Pradesh in 2013 and 250 fatalities in Rajasthan in 2008. Safety continues to be a pressing concern at large religious gatherings across India, underscoring the need for improved crowd control measures.

(With inputs from agencies.)