The Uttar Pradesh government has ordered a judicial probe into the deaths of at least 30 people in stampedes at India’s Kumbh Mela festival, where millions of Hindu devotees gathered for a ritual bath at the confluence of three sacred rivers.

Moments before a deadly stampede at the world's biggest religious gathering in India, Hindu devotees queuing to take a spiritual bath in a river said they pleaded with police to open barricaded routes to thin out a surging crowd.

Maha Kumbh 2025, the world's largest religious gathering, is expected to attract over 40 crore devotees over 45 days. The Vidya Kumbh initiative, seamlessly integrated into this grand event, exemplifies the blending of cultural heritage with social welfare.