Police said 30 people were killed in the crush at the world's biggest gathering of humanity and 90 were injured, but sources told Reuters the death toll was nearly 40. Some witnesses spoke of a huge push towards the rivers that caused devotees to fall on each other,

A senior police officer said at least 30 people died as a crowd panicked at the Hindu Kumbh Mela mega-festival in the northern city of Prayagraj.

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