At least 18 people have died in a stampede at New Delhi’s railway station, according to multiple reports. The incident occurred on Saturday, February 15, when thousands of people gathered at the station to board trains to Prayagraj city for the Hindu Pilgrimage Maha Kumbh.
The victims include 14 women and a seven-year-old child, while over a dozen others were injured in the stampede. Authorities say the incident happened after people slipped and fell on others while coming down from a footbridge that connects train platforms.
An announcement about a change of train platforms allegedly sparked the stampede as passengers grew confused, with one witness describing the scene as “a sea of humanity” that surged towards the train going to Prayagraj. The incident has left many families grieving and authorities scrambling to provide aid.
The chief minister of the national capital territory, Atishi, confirmed on social media that the injured were transported to a hospital in New Delhi, where she met with the families of the victims. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw also reported on the situation, stating that it was “under control” at the railway station and expressing his condolences to those who lost loved ones.
This incident follows another tragic stampede that occurred at the Maha Kumbh Mela festival on January 28, which killed at least 30 people.
Source: https://people.com/18-people-killed-stampede-train-station-reports-11680673