The bathing ritual assumed special significance as it came days after a stampede during the previous 'Amrit Snan' on Mauni Amavasya (January 29) killed at least 30 people and left 60 others injured.

Terming as 'unfortunate' the January 29 stampede at Maha Kumbh where at least 30 people were killed, the Supreme Court on Monday refused to hear a public interest litigation (PIL) for guidelines over safety of devotees and asked the petitioner to move the Allahabad high court instead.

It’s an unfortunate incident, something which is of concern,’ the Supreme Court said while directing the petitioner to approach the Allahabad High Court.

The six-week Maha Kumbh Mela is being held in BJP-run Uttar Pradesh state, and opposition parties have accused the state government of mismanaging what is billed as the world’s largest gathering of humanity. An estimated 400 million visitors are expected in the city of Prayagraj for the festival, which began on Jan 13.

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.

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

Moments before a deadly stampede at the world's biggest religious gathering in India, Hindu devotees queuing to take a spiritual bath in a river said they pleaded with police to open barricaded routes to thin out a surging crowd.

Millions of Hindu devotees gathered on Thursday (January 30) for a holy dip in the sacred river waters of India's northern city of Prayagraj as part of the Kumbh Mela, a day after a stampede at the religious festival.