At least 79 people died in last week’s stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela in India, far exceeding the toll of 30 claimed by the provincial government, an investigation by a news outlet has found.
The government in northern Uttar Pradesh state, run by Narendra Modi’s BJP party, has been facing criticism for mismanaging the Hindu religious festival in Prayagraj and accused of covering up the death toll from the stampede, with opposition leaders demanding transparency and accountability.
A senior government official gave the outlet a list containing the names of 69 people who had reportedly been brought dead from the Kumbh to the Motilal Nehru Medical College in Prayagraj.
Mallikarjun Kharge, leader of the main opposition Congress party, caused an uproar in the parliament by claiming "thousands” of people had died at the Kumbh, prompting upper house chairperson Jagdeep Dhankar to demand that he authenticate the number or withdraw the statement.
Taken together with the 69 fatalities recorded at the Motilal Nehru Medical College, the death toll from the Maha Kumbh stampede rises to at least 79.
