Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was distressed by the incident and his thoughts were with the loved ones of those who lost their lives. He also said authorities were helping those affected.
Children, women among 18 dead as Kumbh rush triggers stampede at Delhi station
The tragic incident took place at around 10 pm on Saturday on platforms 13 and 14. Multiple videos have surfaced showing passengers rushing through the station, with some carrying children on their shoulders, while others struggle with their luggage.
At least 18 people -- nine women, five children, four men -- were killed, and many others injured as overcrowding due to thousands of Maha Kumbh devotees who gathered to board their trains at the New Delhi Railway Station, triggered a stampede on Saturday night.
The injured are currently being treated at the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) Hospital and Lady Hardinge Hospital. As per information, the eldest victim was 79 years old, while the youngest was a seven-year-old girl.
On Sunday morning, the Indian Railways announced a Rs 10 lakh compensation for families of the victims; Rs 25 lakh for the seriously injured; and Rs 1 lakh for those with minor injuries.
In a statement, the Railways confirmed that the tragic incident occurred at around 10 pm on platforms 13 and 14 as "some of the passengers present on the platforms fainted due to this sudden rush, further leading to the rumours of a stampede-like situation".
"This led to panic and chaos. The situation was later controlled by easing the rush situation. The Northern Railways immediately dispatched four special trains in the wake of the unprecedented sudden rush. A high level inquiry has been ordered," it added.
Multiple videos have surfaced showing a massive crowd of passengers rushing through the railway station -- some carrying children on their shoulders, while others struggle with their luggage amid the chaos.
According to initial reports, overcrowding resulted in severe suffocation, leaving four female passengers unconscious. Their condition was reported to be critical, and they were immediately rushed to LNJP Hospital for medical treatment.
"Distressed by the stampede at New Delhi Railway Station. My thoughts are with all those who have lost their loved ones. I pray that the injured have a speedy recovery. The authorities are assisting all those who have been affected by this stampede," PM Modi posted on X.
The six-week Kumbh Mela is the single biggest milestone in the Hindu religious calendar, and officials said about 500 million devotees have already visited the festival since it began last month.
More than 400 people died after they were trampled or drowned on a single day of the festival in 1954, one of the largest tolls in a crowd-related disaster globally. Another 36 people were crushed to death in 2013, the last time the festival was staged in Prayagraj.
In January at least 30 people have been killed and scores injured in crowd crushes at the Kumbh Mela festival, Indian police have confirmed, as vast numbers of people went to bathe at one of the holiest sites of the Hindu gathering.
Tens of millions of people flocked to the northern state of Uttar Pradesh to immerse themselves at the sacred confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna rivers on one of the most auspicious days of the Hindu festival.
A senior police officer, Vaibhav Krishna, told a news conference that 30 people had died and at least double that number were wounded in fatal crushes on Jan 29, 2025.
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