At least 18 people, including 11 women and four children died and more than a dozen injured in a stampede that broke out late Saturday night at the New Delhi Railway Station, officials said.
The stampede was caused by sudden rush of passengers waiting to board trains to Prayagraj, where the Maha Kumbh is underway, on platform numbers 14 and 15 of the station. The chaotic situation developed around 8 pm on the two platforms of the station.
As per the details, the deaths were confirmed by the chief casualty medical officer of the LNJP hospital in Delhi. The officials said 10 women, three children and two men died in the incident, and three more deaths were reported from Lady Harding hospital.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to X (formerly Twitter) and expressed grief over the incident. In a tweet, he said, "Distressed by the stampede at New Delhi Railway Station. My thoughts are with all those who have lost their loved ones. I pray that the injured have a speedy recovery. The authorities are assisting all those who have been affected by this stampede."
The deputy commissioner of police (railway), in an official statement, said platform number 14 was already very crowded when the Prayagraj Express train was waiting there for its departure.
The officer said Swatantra Senani Express and Bhubaneshwar Rajdhani Express were delayed and the passengers of these trains were also present on platform numbers 12, 13 and 14.
The authorities sent rescue teams and four fire tenders were rushed to the site, Delhi Fire Services (DFS) chief Atul Garg said.
Northern Railway's Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Himanshu Upadhyay said that passengers pushed each other, which caused injuries to some of them, as reported by news agency PTI. They were taken to hospitals for first aid, he said.
The Ministry of Railways said that a high level inquiry has been ordered by the Railways on the unfortunate incident.