On Thursday, at least six pilgrims were killed after a storm caused a tent to collapse onto devotees at the Kumbh Mela mass religious gathering in central India, triggering a small stampede.

Several others injured when heavy rain accompanied by lightning and storm and uprooted makeshifts tents of pilgrims.

Lakhs of people had gathered for the holy bath at the ghats in Ujjain, when tents erected at the mela collapsed, creating panic.

Cabinet Minister Bhupendra Singh, who is in charge of the Simhastha Kumbh, said six persons were killed, while 25 to 30 devotees sustained injuries. He said most devotees had suffered minor injuries and were treated locally, but two had been referred to Indore for further treatment. Later in the night, he said the situation was under control and the devotees had started taking holy dips again.

The Simhastha Kumbh Mela takes place once every twelve years and attracts millions of devotees. Thousands of devotees have been visiting Ujjain since April 22.

On Thursday, because of panchkoshi yatra, the numbers were too high. Hundreds of pandals and tents have been set up along the Kshipra river and other areas marked as “mela kshetra".

The pandals which were not of strong foundation damaged during the rain and were either flooded or started leaking.

A drainage line near Ramghat, one of the main ghats, burst and sewage water flowed into the Kshipra, posing another challenge to the administration ahead of Friday’s Parv Snaan when more devotees are expected to visit the town.