A stampede during the Kumbh Mela festival in the city of Prayagraj, northeast India, killed 15 people and injured many others, AFP reported.
"At least 15 people have died so far. Others are being treated," said a doctor from Prayagraj, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.
Deadly clashes between crowds are a notorious feature of Indian religious festivals. The Kumbh Mela already had a grim experience of deadly clashes before the January 29 incident.
Local government official Akanksha Rana told news agency Press Trust of India (PTI) that the brawl started after crowd control barriers "broke down".
The 6-week festival is the biggest event in the Hindu religious calendar and millions of people were expected to attend for a ritual bathing at the site where the Ganges and Yamuna rivers converge. | BGNES
