By Saurabh Sharma and Shivam Patel PRAYAGRAJ, India (Reuters) -Dozens of people were killed in a pre-dawn stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela in northern India on Wednesday as tens of millions of Hindus gathered to take a dip in sacred river waters on the most auspicious day of a six-week festival.

At least 17 people were killed and many more injured in a stampede at India's Maha Kumbh festival, the world's largest religious gathering, a doctor at a government hospital said, as tens of thousands of pilgrims rushed to dip in sacred river waters during the Hindu event.

At least seven people were killed and around 10 injured in a stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's biggest gatherings that occurs every 12 years.

By Saurabh Sharma and Shivam Patel PRAYAGRAJ, India (Reuters) -Dozens of people were killed in a pre-dawn stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela in northern India on Wednesday, police sources and a Reuters witness said,

Millions of Hindus are gathering in a northern Indian city for the Maha Kumbh festival, the world’s largest religious congregation.

PRAYAGRAJ, India — Hours after a massive rush of Hindu pilgrims set off a stampede at the Maha Kumbh festival in northern India early Wednesday, Indian authorities were yet to release casualty figures even as the country's prime minister acknowledged the loss of lives and local media reports said 10 people had died.

Nearly 40 bodies were brought to a hospital morgue near the site of a stampede at the Maha Kumbh festival in India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh, three police sources told Reuters.

A crowd crush has injured several people at the world’s largest religious festival in India, organizers reported Wednesday.

Incident occurred as crowds rushing to sacred river confluence tried to break through barricades - Anadolu Ajansı

Nearly 40 people were killed in India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday and several others injured in a pre-dawn stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela - a Hindu religious festival touted to be the largest human gathering in the world.

Several people are feared dead and many more injured as tens of thousands of Hindus rushed to take a holy bath in the river at the massive Maha Kumbh festival in India