People, panic, pain: Anatomy of a disaster

It was 2 am on Wednesday when the entire 4,000-hectare Mahakumbh Mela area echoed with chants of "Jai Gange" and "Har Har Mahadev" on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya. But within half an hour, cries for help replaced the chants.

- HT Correspondent

MAHAKUMBH NAGAR (PRAYAGRAJ):

Eyewitnesses recounted scenes of panic and disorder. "People fell, tried to stand up, lost from loved ones in the melee," said an onlooker.

The situation spiralled out of control when devotees struggled to find an exit after their ritualistic bath. Many were carrying heavy luggage, and the presence of iron dustbins created unexpected obstacles, causing people to trip and fall. "I got stuck in a dustbin and lost my shoes. I fell, injured my feet, and somehow got up to help my parents and another woman lying on the ground. That's when people started pushing, triggering the stampede," said Vivek Mishra, an eyewitness.

Another devotee, Ram Singh from Fatehpur, described how a congested exit route trapped the crowd, worsening the situation.

"The road was completely jammed. People kept falling, and there was no way out. Those ahead of us had already moved towards Nandni Dwar, but we were stuck behind," he said.

Baljeet Singh from Ballia, who was among the crowd, recalled, "We were heading for a bath when, all of a sudden, the crowd swelled, and people got crushed. I lost sight of my group members amid the chaos."

Among the grieving was Jai Prakash Soni, who lost his wife in the stampede. "Someone pushed my mother from behind, and she fell. I also fell but managed to stand up. I found my father, wife, and kids, but my wife was missing. By the time I reached her, she was trampled to death," he said.