NEW DELHI: An unspecified number of people have been killed in a stampede at a major train station in the capital of India, authorities said.
An unknown number of people were killed in a stampede at a railway station in India’s capital, New Delhi, late Saturday as crowds rushed to catch trains to the world’s largest religious congregation, the Maha Kumbh Mela.
Authorities said the stampede was deadly, without mentioning the number of casualties.
The incident occurred at about 8 pm local time on two platforms as passengers were waiting to board trains to Prayagraj city, a temporary township created for the festival.
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At least 15 people died in the stampede, the French AFP news agency and India’s NDTV reported.
“I can confirm 15 deaths at the hospital. They don’t have any open injury. Most [likely died from] hypoxia or maybe some blunt injury but that would only be confirmed after an autopsy,” Dr Ritu Saxena, deputy medical superintendent of Lok Nayak Hospital in New Delhi to AFP.
Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said in a X post that he was “extremely pained by the loss of lives due to stampede” at the New Delhi railway station.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that he was “distressed” by the stampede.
“I pray that the injured have a speedy recovery. The authorities are assisting all those who have been affected by this stampede,” he wrote on X.
At least 30 people were killed in a stampede during the six-week festival last month after tens of millions of Hindus gathered to bathe in sacred river waters.