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.

Those injured were taken to the central hospital established in the Mela area. Relatives of many injured also reached there as did some senior administrative and police officials.

An eyewitness said chaos at the Sangam was caused by the crowd not knowing where to go and hidden dustbins, which made people trip and lose balance.