India's Kumbh Mela readies for holiest day

Tens of millions of Hindus were expected to plunge into India's sacred river Ganges to wash away their sins on the most auspicious day of the world's largest religious festival. Organisers estimated about 30 million ash-smeared saints, devotees and visitors would take a dip in the swirling, freezing river at the festival in Allahabad in northern Uttar Pradesh state on Sunday. More than 7,000 policemen have been deployed to oversee the bathing ritual, along with 30,000 volunteers, according to Indian authorities. Thousands more security personnel were guarding the sprawling site of makeshift tents. Sunday, when the water is considered to be the holiest and most...