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Record 120 million wash away sins as India festival ends

March 9, 2013 17:47
A record 120 million pilgrims washed away their sins with plunges in an Indian holy river during the world's biggest religious festival set to end Sunday, officials said. The two-month-long Kumbh Mela Hindu festival celebrated every 12 years at the conjunction of two sacred rivers on the outskirts of the northern Indian city of Allahabad drew massive crowds of Hindu devotees, ascetics and foreign tourists.

Police face flak over Kumbh Mela tragedy as organiser quits

February 11, 2013 08:30
Survivors of a stampede that killed 36 people at India's Kumbh Mela blamed the tragedy Monday on baton-charging police and the slow response of medics as the massive festival's chief organiser resigned. The crush at a train station on Sunday evening at Allahabad marked a tragic end to the most auspicious day of the 55-day Hindu festival in the state of Uttar Pradesh which had drawn some 30 million people.

February 11, 2013 05:45
Kumbh Mela chief organiser announces resignation after deadly stampede co/ia

URGENT ¥¥¥ Kumbh Mela chief organiser quits after deadly stampede

February 11, 2013 05:45
The head of the organising committee for India's massive Kumbh Mela religious festival announced his resignation on Monday, the day after a stampede killed at least 36 people at a train station. "I have resigned as the chairman of the festival committee," said Mohammed Azam Khan, who is also a cabinet minister in the state of Uttar Pradesh. "Although the stampede happened beyond the scope of my jurisdiction, I am deeply disturbed and step down on moral grounds." str-rn/co/ia

36 killed as stampede mars India's Kumbh festival

February 11, 2013 04:31
A terrifying stampede at a railway station left at least 36 people dead after the main day of India's Kumbh Mela religious festival, which drew record crowds of 30 million, officials said Monday. Dozens more were injured in the crush on Sunday evening at Allahabad, marking a tragic end to the most auspicious day of the 55-day Hindu festival in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, the world's largest gathering of humanity.

UPDATE 1-India stampede kills 36 at world's largest religious festival

February 11, 2013 03:45
* Happened on busiest day of two-month long festival * Most of the dead are elderly women * Some 30 million Hindus gathered for festival * Stampedes common at Indian religious events (Adds new deaths, detail) By Sharat Pradhan

36 killed as stampede mars India's Kumbh festival

February 11, 2013 00:15
At least 36 people died in a terrifying stampede as pilgrims headed home from India's Kumbh Mela religious festival, which drew a record 30 million people to the banks of the Ganges. Dozens more were injured in the crush on Sunday evening at a railway station, marking a tragic end to the most auspicious day of the 55-day Hindu festival in northern India, the world's largest gathering of humanity.

22 reported dead as stampede mars India's Ganges festival

February 10, 2013 18:15
At least 22 people died in a stampede as pilgrims headed home from India's giant Kumbh Mela festival, which drew a record 30 million people to the banks of the river Ganges, reports said Monday. Senior railway official Harindra Rao said 10 people had died at Allahabad station during the stampede on Sunday, with 12 more succumbing to their injuries on the way to hospital, the Press Trust of India (PTI) news agency reported early Monday.

20 reported dead as stampede mars India's Ganges festival

February 10, 2013 16:00
At least 20 people died in a stampede on Sunday, according to reports, as pilgrims headed home from India's giant Kumbh Mela festival which drew a record 30 million people to the banks of the river Ganges. A senior police officer confirmed that 20 had been killed and scores injured in the stampede at Allahabad railway station, the Press Trust of India news agency said late Sunday night. Local television channel NDTV also reported that 20 were dead, with several of the injured in a critical condition.

At least 18 dead in stampede at massive Indian Hindu festival

February 10, 2013 14:45
ALLAHABAD, India, Feb 10 (Reuters) - At least 18 people were killed in a stampede in the Indian city of Allahabad on Sunday as Hindus returned from a river dip at the world's largest religious festival. An overcrowded railway station footbridge buckled and a railing collapsed, sending some people slipping down the stairs and triggering the stampede, a top state government official told Reuters, not wishing to be quoted by name. "I can confirm that 18 people have died and 13 have been injured," said the official.
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