New Delhi – A tragic stampede at New Delhi’s main railway station has claimed at least 18 lives, including five children, according to media reports citing the Press Trust of India. The youngest victim was just seven years old, while the oldest was 79. Police reports indicate that 14 of those who died were women.
Atishi, chief minister of the national capital territory, stated on social media that many of the victims were pilgrims heading to the Hindu Maha Kumbh festival. She initially reported 15 deaths, but the toll has since risen. Over a dozen injured passengers are receiving treatment in hospitals.
The incident took place around 8 p.m. on Saturday when two crowded platforms saw a sudden surge of passengers trying to board a train bound for Prayagraj, the site of the Maha Kumbh. Witnesses described scenes of chaos as the station, already overcrowded, descended into panic. Images and videos showed people collapsing amid the crush while emergency responders and police struggled to restore order.
“There was a sea of people, and when the train arrived, everyone rushed forward,” a survivor told India Today. “I lost my belongings and barely survived.”
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has ordered an investigation into the cause of the tragedy. Meanwhile, Delhi’s lieutenant-governor, VK Saxena, visited injured victims in the hospital and described the stampede as a “very tragic incident.”
Stampedes are a recurring tragedy in India, particularly during religious gatherings. Just last month, a similar incident at the Maha Kumbh in northern India resulted in dozens of fatalities as millions of Hindu devotees flocked to take a holy dip. In July 2024, another deadly stampede in Uttar Pradesh left 121 people dead as crowds surged to see a Hindu preacher.
The railway station disaster also raises fresh concerns about India’s transportation infrastructure. The country’s vast railway network, the fourth-largest in the world, is undergoing a $30 billion modernization drive under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government. However, safety remains a major concern, with frequent train accidents. In 2023, a devastating collision killed at least 288 people.
Authorities are now focused on investigating the causes of this latest tragedy while providing support to victims’ families. Efforts are also being made to enhance crowd management and safety measures for future large-scale pilgrim gatherings.
Tragic event!