Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is the second top official after Prime Minister Narendra Modi to offer condolences to the families of those who have lost loved ones in the crush. In a post on X, he called the accident in Prayagraj "extremely painful" and expressed condolences to victims' relatives.

Several devotees are feared dead and many injured following a stampede in the early hours of Wednesday at Akhara Marg, close to the Triveni Sangam ghat at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj.

Several people were feared dead and many more injured in a stampede early Wednesday as tens of thousands of Hindus rushed to take a holy bath in the river at the massive Maha Kumbh festival in northern India's Prayagraj city,