A tragic incident at New Delhi Railway Station has resulted in the deaths of approximately 18 individuals, with at least 10 others reported injured.
On Saturday night, a significant number of individuals gathered at the railway station in an attempt to board trains that were running behind schedule.
According to a list released by officials, four of the victims were children, and ten were women.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences for those mourning the loss of loved ones in a recent post on X.
Crowd crush incidents are prevalent in India, particularly during religious events, festivals, and public spaces where overcrowding often occurs.
In a tragic turn of events, the recent incident follows closely on the heels of a devastating pre-dawn crash that claimed the lives of 30 individuals at the Kumbh Mela religious festival in northern India. This gathering saw tens of millions of Hindus converge to partake in sacred bathing rituals in the river waters, coinciding with one of the holy days of the six-week celebration.
In Delhi, sources reported to BBC Hindi that a significant number of people had assembled at the station. Many were commuting to and from the Kumbh Mela taking place in Prayagraj city, located in the adjacent Uttar Pradesh state. Numerous individuals were seen waiting for trains heading to various destinations.
Officials reported that two trains experienced delays at the station, while a third train, bound for Prayagraj, awaited departure.
Ruby Devi reported that the crowd at the central railway station in the Indian capital was so large that she could not gain entry.
Umesh Giri, who lost his wife, Shilam Devi, in the tragic crash, described the crowd as “uncontrollable” while he attempted to board the Prayagraj Express.
Dharmendra Singh, en route to Prayagraj, shared with India’s PTI news agency that he encountered “far more people than I have ever seen at this station.”Before my eyes, a group of six or seven women was transported on stretchers.
KPS Malhotra, the deputy commissioner of police for railways, stated that officials are currently probing the circumstances of the crush.
“According to him, the situation arose from a delay in the arrival of two trains, which resulted in a larger crowd gathering at the station.”
The opposition leaders have criticised the government, alleging a failure in administration.
Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the opposition in India’s parliament, took to X to express his concerns, stating, “Considering the large number of devotees going to Prayagraj, better arrangements should have been made at the station.”
