The death toll in the stampede that occurred on Saturday night at a railway station in New Delhi, the capital of India, has reached 18.
The stampede happened as religious tourists gathered to board a train to attend the world’s largest religious congregation, the Maha Kumbh Mela.
The Kumbh Mela, held in the northern city of Prayagraj, attracts millions of Hindu devotees every 12 years.
The stampede took place at the New Delhi railway station as crowds struggled to board trains for the event, which is set to conclude on February 26.
“I can confirm that 15 people have died in the hospital. They do not have any visible injuries. The cause of death could be hypoxia or internal trauma, but it will only be confirmed after a post-mortem examination,” said Dr. Ritu Saxena, Deputy Medical Superintendent of Lok Nayak Hospital in New Delhi, speaking to AFP.
Eleven others were injured in the incident. Most of them are in stable condition, with fractures and other injuries. NDTV reported that three more people died in the stampede, citing an official from another hospital in the city.
Most of the deceased are women and children. “I have been working as a porter since 1981, but I have never seen such a crowd before,” The Times of India quoted a railway station porter as saying.
The stampede occurred when the platform for a special train bound for Prayagraj was suddenly changed, causing people to collide with each other and fall on the escalator and stairs.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has ordered a high-level investigation into the cause of the accident.
According to Vaishnaw, additional special trains are being operated from New Delhi to ease the crowd of devotees.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his grief over the stampede.
Delhi Governor Vinay Kumar Saxena stated that disaster management personnel had been deployed and that all hospitals were prepared to handle emergency situations.
The six-week-long Maha Kumbh Mela is one of the most significant festivals in the Hindu religious calendar. Officials have stated that approximately 500 million devotees have already attended the festival since last month.
