Eighteen killed in New Delhi station crush

A stampede at the New Delhi railway station has resulted in the deaths of approximately 18 people and injuries to at least 10 others. Reports indicate that the incident occurred on Saturday evening when thousands of people attempted to board delayed trains, leading to a massive influx of people into the station.

According to the official list released, the victims include four children and ten women. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences to all those who lost loved ones in a post on social media platform X.

Overcrowding is a frequent occurrence at religious events, festivals, and public places in India, making stampedes a recurring tragedy. Just weeks ago, a pre-dawn stampede at the Kumbh Mela religious festival in northern India resulted in 30 fatalities. At that time, tens of millions of Hindus gathered to bathe in the sacred river, celebrating a holy day in the six-week festival.

According to BBC Hindi, witnesses in Delhi reported a "huge crowd" gathered at the railway station, with many people traveling through the station to and from the Kumbh Mela festival in Prayagraj city in the neighboring state of Uttar Pradesh. Additionally, hundreds more were waiting for trains to other destinations. Officials stated that two trains were delayed at the time, and another train to Prayagraj was awaiting departure.

Ruby Devi stated that the main railway station in the Indian capital was packed with people, and she was unable to enter at all. Umesh Giri, whose wife Shilam Devi died in the stampede, said that the crowd was "uncontrollable" when he tried to board the Prayagraj Express. Another traveler to Prayagraj, Dharmendra Singh, told the Press Trust of India (PTI) that "there were more people at the station than I have ever seen." He also said, "In front of me, six or seven women were carried away on stretchers."

Deputy Commissioner of Railway Police KPS Malhotra stated that authorities are investigating the cause of the stampede. He explained, "It was caused by the late arrival of two trains, which led to more people gathering at the station."

Opposition leaders have criticized the government, accusing it of administrative negligence. Rahul Gandhi, a leader of the opposition in the Indian Parliament, posted on X, stating, "Considering the large number of devotees traveling to Prayagraj, better arrangements should have been made at the station."