At least 15 people have tragically lost their lives and an additional 10 individuals have been injured due to a crush at New Delhi Railway Station, as reported by various Indian media outlets. The chaos resulted from an enormous crowd linked to the observance of the Hindu religious festival, Kumbh Mela, which draws thousands of devotees.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences to the families of the victims through a post on social media platform X, stating that his thoughts are with those mourning the loss of their loved ones. Local authorities have since indicated that the situation has been brought under control.
Dr. Ritu Saxena, the deputy medical superintendent at Lok Nayak Hospital in New Delhi, confirmed to news agency AFP that the hospital had reported 15 fatalities. Among those who lost their lives, reports indicate that three were children, and a significant portion of the deceased were women.
Eyewitnesses, including a woman named Ruby Devi, recount the overwhelming size of the crowd, describing an environment akin to a "stampede-like situation," which prevented her from entering the station. Others noted that despite police efforts, the sheer number of people became unmanageable.
Initial reports from Indian Railways had dismissed claims of a stampede as "rumors." However, they later acknowledged that an undisclosed number of people had experienced injuries and were being treated. This incident comes closely on the heels of another tragic crush during the Kumbh Mela festival that left dozens dead, amplifying concerns regarding crowd safety at major religious gatherings in India.
