A devastating crowd crush has occurred at India’s massive Kumbh Mela festival, resulting in the deaths of at least 39 people and injuring over 200 others. The incident took place during the Amrit Snan on Mauni Amavasya, a significant ritual bathing day in the Hindu religious calendar.

According to eyewitnesses, the crowd surge began at around 1 am IST, as devotees rushed to bathe at the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers. The festival’s special executive officer, Akanksha Rana, stated that the incident began after a festival barrier broke, while Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath blamed the incident on devotees trying to cross over barricades.

One victim described being pushed into the Ganges River as he attempted to participate in the ritual bathing. Reports described the incident as scenes of “absolute chaos” at the riverbank, with clothes, shoes, blankets, and backpacks scattered on the ground as crowds tried to escape.

Despite the tragedy, the festival continued, with around 30 million people having taken a bath in the area by 8 am on January 29. Tens of thousands of devotees are still attempting to take the holy dip, although proceedings have been described as “very muted”.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has offered his condolences to the victims, while the state chief minister has ordered an inquiry into the incident. The Rapid Action Force has been deployed to the scene to assist with the response efforts.