Mahakumbh stampede, Jan. 29 -- As a sea of tightly packed crowds at Mahakumbh converged at the Triveni Sangam for the 'Amrit Snaan' (holy bath) on Mauni Amavasya, the 'crowd went uncontrolled', leading to a stampede that left the devotees with 'no chance for an escape'.

Uttar Pradesh government official Akanksha Rana told news agency Press Trust of India (PTI) that the stampede began after crowd control barriers "broke".

The Amrit Snaan on Mauni Amavasya is the most significant ritual of the Maha Kumbh, and around 10 crore pilgrims were expected to attend it. This year, a rare celestial alignment called 'Triveni Yog' is occurring after 144 years, amplifying the spiritual significance of the day.

"We came in a batch of 60 people in two ...