A stampede at the Kumbh Mela, the world's largest religious gathering, has claimed at least 15 lives and left many others injured, a doctor at the festival in Prayagraj told AFP on Wednesday (local time). "At least 15 people have died for now. Others are being treated," said the doctor in Prayagraj city. An AFP photographer at the scene witnessed rescuers and worshippers assisting the injured, with some people seen climbing over a barrier in the chaos. Tragic crowd surges are a recurring danger at religious festivals in India, and the Kumbh Mela—known for drawing massive crowds—had already seen fatal incidents in the past. Local government official Akanksha Rana said the incident was triggered when crowd control barriers "broke," she told the Press Trust of India (PTI) news agency. The six-week-long festival is a significant event in the Hindu religious calendar, attracting millions of devotees. Wednesday marked a sacred day of ritual bathing at the confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna rivers, drawing vast crowds to the site.