Many were feared dead after millions of Hindu pilgrims at a huge Hindu festival in India rushed to bathe in holy river waters.

A tragedy struck Maha Kumbh on the second ‘Amrit Snan’, where eight to 10 crore devotees are expected today. On the occasion of Mauni Amavasya, a stampede broke out in the wee hours of Wednesday, leading to fear of casualties.

The six-week Maha Kumbh Mela is being held in BJP-run Uttar Pradesh state, and opposition parties have accused the state government of mismanaging what is billed as the world’s largest gathering of humanity. An estimated 400 million visitors are expected in the city of Prayagraj for the festival, which began on Jan 13.

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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.

More than seven people were killed in a stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela, or Great Pitcher Festival, in the northern Indian holy city of Prayagraj on Wednesday.

People were trampled as pilgrims at the Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world’s biggest gatherings, gathered where the Ganges and Yamuna Rivers meet.