The Kumbh Mela festival, the largest congregation of humanity in the world, attracted around 200 million people by the two-week mark. Attendees believe that taking a dip in the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers brings absolution and salvation. More than 36 million people had participated in the holy dip by Wednesday morning. VIPs including Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, and celebrities like Chris Martin and Dakota Johnson were reported to be present, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi expected to visit later. Despite expectations of a record 100 million attendees on Wednesday, a stampede occurred, resulting in the death of at least one individual. Opposition parties criticized the governments for mismanagement and VIP culture. The use of AI-based technology, additional security, and medical personnel was deployed to manage the crowd. Efforts were made to control the situation and rescue those in need. This incident was reminiscent of a similar stampede during the 2013 festival, which claimed the lives of at least 36 pilgrims. Politicians and celebrities were urged to be treated equally with common devotees to avoid such tragedies in the future.
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