At least 18 people lost their lives in a stampede at a railway station in New Delhi late Saturday as massive crowds rushed to board trains heading to the Kumbh Mela, the world’s largest religious gathering.
Officials confirmed in an AFP report that the deadly incident occurred as devotees scrambled for special trains bound for Prayagraj, where the Hindu festival is taking place. The Kumbh Mela, held every 12 years, has a history of crowd-related tragedies, including another stampede last month that claimed at least 30 lives.
Dr. Ritu Saxena of Lok Nayak Hospital reported that 15 people were declared dead upon arrival, with most fatalities likely caused by suffocation or internal injuries. Eleven others were injured, mostly suffering orthopedic wounds. Another three fatalities were later confirmed by a separate hospital, bringing the death toll to 18.
Eyewitnesses described a chaotic scene, with people falling on stairs and escalators after a last-minute platform change for a special train. A railway porter, working at the station since 1981, said he had never seen such an overwhelming crowd before.
Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced a high-level inquiry into the tragedy and assured that additional trains were being deployed to manage the surge of passengers. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences, saying he was “distressed” by the incident and praying for the swift recovery of the injured.
The Kumbh Mela has drawn around 500 million visitors since it began last month. The festival has seen multiple deadly stampedes in its history, with one of the worst occurring in 1954, when more than 400 people were crushed or drowned in a single day.
