At least 15 people lost their lives, and 15 others were injured in a tragic stampede at New Delhi’s main train station on Saturday night.
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The incident took place at approximately 8 p.m. local time (2:30 PM GMT) on two platforms where passengers were waiting to board trains bound for Prayagraj, the host city of the Hindu Maha Kumbh festival, according to Reuters.
The tragedy claimed the lives of 10 women and three children, according to local reports. Images and videos from the scene showed chaotic crowds surging over one another at the station. Meanwhile, police and relief teams worked tirelessly to manage the congestion and bring the situation under control.
At least 18 people were killed in a stampede at the main train station in New Delhi, local media says.
— Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) February 16, 2025
Many of the victims were reportedly Hindu pilgrims who were traveling to the Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj in northern India. pic.twitter.com/Cf0MELSRjL
Delhi’s Chief Minister, Atishi, who goes by a single name, stated on X that many of the victims were pilgrims traveling to attend the Maha Kumbh.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with several federal ministers, acknowledged the stampede incident in posts on X. However, they didn’t reveal the number of casualties.
“Distressed by the stampede at New Delhi Railway Station. My thoughts are with all those who have lost their loved ones,” Modi wrote on X.
NEW DELHI, INDIA – FEBRUARY 16: At least 18 people, mostly women and children, died in a stampede at the New Delhi Railway Station while waiting to board trains to Prayagraj, where the Maha Kumbh is being hosted.#stamped #railwaystation #newdelhi #mahakumbh #photojournalism pic.twitter.com/ulXgNDR3gH
— Amarjeet Kumar Singh (@AmarjeetKSingh_) February 16, 2025
India’s Interior Minister Amit Shah announced on X that he had consulted with the railway minister to assess the situation.
“An enquiry was ordered into the incident and four special trains were dispatched to evacuate the rush caused at the railway station,” Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw wrote on X, adding that the situation is now under control.
“The entire team is working to assist all those who have been affected by this tragic incident,” he added.
India Plagued with Recent Train Stampedes
Last month, a tragic pre-dawn stampede claimed dozens of lives at the Maha Kumbh in northern India. The incident occurred as tens of millions of Hindus gathered to bathe in the sacred river waters on the most auspicious day of the six-week-long festival.
Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor, VK Saxena, a senior official of the capital territory, visited the hospital to meet those injured in Saturday’s incident, per local media.
“This is a very tragic incident and we pray for those who have lost their lives,” Atishi said via Reuters.
India has seen several train accidents in the past two years. This includes a 2023 collision that killed at least 288 people. As the world’s fourth-largest rail network, Indian Railways is undergoing a $30 billion upgrade under Prime Minister Modi’s modernization efforts.