At least 39 people die in India in crush at religious festival

At least 39 people were killed and dozens more injured in northern India because of the crush during the holy ablution at the Kumbha Mela festival in the town of Prayagraj. This was reported by Reuters on January 29 with reference to the police and eyewitnesses.

According to the publication, the crush occurred near the so-called "arena of ascetics", when believers rushed en masse to the river to perform the sacred ablution, but people began to fall and could not get up.

It is noted that the law enforcement agencies can not name the exact numbers of the dead. Thus, according to the agency, relatives lined up to identify the dead.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences to the loved ones of the victims.

Chairman of the opposition Indian National Congress party Rahul Gandhi, in turn, said that the official authorities were to blame for the deaths, as they failed to properly provide security measures.

Reuters recalled that in 2013 during the Maha Kumbha Mela there was a similar crush, then killed about 36 people.

Earlier in the day it was reported that as a result of the crush at the festival Kumbha Mela in the Indian city of Prayagraj killed at least 15 people. It was specified that many injured visitors were hospitalized. Some of them are in serious condition.