According to local media reports on Sunday (February 16), a stampede incident occurred at the main train station in the Indian capital, New Delhi, resulting in the death toll rising to at least 18 people, including 5 children.
The Press Trust of India cited a list from the police, stating that the youngest victim was only 7 years old, while the oldest was 79. Among the 18 victims, only 4 were male, and the rest were female.
The Chief Minister of the National Capital Territory of Delhi, Atishi, stated on the social platform X that many of the victims were pilgrims heading to participate in the Hindu festival called Maha Kumbh. She had previously told reporters that the incident had claimed 15 lives.
There are still over a dozen injured individuals receiving treatment in hospitals.
Reports indicate that the stampede occurred around 8 p.m. on Saturday (14:30 Greenwich Mean Time), at two platforms leading to Prayagraj, the venue for the Maha Kumbh festival.
Media visuals showed that after the incident, a large number of people fell down, while police and rescue teams tried to clear the crowd. A survivor told “India Today”: “The station was packed with people, and everyone rushed towards the train heading to Prayagraj. I lost all my belongings and just managed to save my life.”
The Indian Minister of Railways, Ashwini Vaishnaw, stated that an investigation into the incident has been launched.
Last month, a stampede occurred in the early morning during the Maha Kumbh festival, resulting in the deaths of dozens of people. At that time, tens of millions of Hindu devotees had gathered to bathe in the holy river, marking the most important day of the six-week festival. India has a history of stampede accidents during religious events or large gatherings, such as during the 2013 Maha Kumbh festival when a stampede at the Allahabad train station claimed at least 36 lives.
The Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, VK Saxena, visited some of the injured, with Atishi expressing, “This is an extremely tragic event, and we pray for the souls lost.”
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep sorrow over the incident, offering condolences to the families of the deceased and wishing a speedy recovery for the injured. He emphasized that the authorities are providing necessary support.
India has witnessed several railway accidents in the past two years, including a train collision in 2023 that resulted in at least 288 fatalities. India has the world’s fourth-largest railway network and is currently undergoing a $30 billion upgrade and modernization as part of Prime Minister Modi’s efforts to boost transportation connectivity.