February 10th, 2013
03:06 PM ET

Ten killed in India festival stampede

At least 10 people died Sunday in a railroad station stampede in northern India as tens of millions flocked to the banks of the Ganges River for a Hindu religious festival, a railway spokesman said.

The crush took place in Allahabad, the site of this year's Kumbh Mela festival, where Hindu pilgrims gather to bathe in the Ganges. Railway spokesman Anil Kumar Saxena blamed overcrowding for the crush, but said details were "sketchy."

There was no immediate comment from police or officials from the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. But Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said he was "deeply shocked" by the deaths and promised to extend "all possible help" to state authorities.

"I send my heartfelt condolences to the members of the bereaved families and wish those injured a speedy recovery," Singh said in a statement issued by his office.

Kumbh Mela is billed as the world's largest religious gathering and the holiest of Hindu pilgrimages. Devotees believe that washing themselves in the Ganges frees them from past sins.

FULL STORY
Post by:
Filed under: Hinduism • India • Religion
soundoff (8 Responses)
  1. saywhat

    That always happens at this festival in India.

    February 10, 2013 at 2:20 pm | Report abuse |
  2. Chill

    Check

    February 10, 2013 at 3:44 pm | Report abuse |
  3. GulpOff

    CNN, I'll have you know that it is impossible to make a decent comment on this story.

    February 10, 2013 at 5:55 pm | Report abuse |
  4. Rascal Rabble

    the prime minister issah a shocked lie...everytime you look "these people" are stampeding one another...they need building codes where every door, hallway and entrance should be barnyard wide...and they needtah stop worshipping and hangin out with the elephants...the stampede thingy is rubbing off...

    February 10, 2013 at 6:24 pm | Report abuse |
  5. chrissy

    Omg lol @ Rascal, your posts never cease to amaze me! How do you think of this stuff? Im still lol.

    February 11, 2013 at 1:25 am | Report abuse |
  6. Joey Isotta-Fraschini ©™

    Opiates kill.
    I know that they believed they needed to wash away their sins, but they're dead. Opiates kill.

    February 11, 2013 at 3:33 am | Report abuse |
  7. chrissy

    Ok im relatively certain that isnt the REAL Joey!

    February 11, 2013 at 1:06 pm | Report abuse |
  8. saywhat

    Good morning all.
    If you look at the mind numbing size of humanity gathered at this festival, such incidents are not surprising.

    February 11, 2013 at 1:18 pm | Report abuse |
« Back to main