India: At least 18 killed in stampede at New Delhi train station
Investigations indicate that the chaos started when a crowd of people tried to board the train to go to the Kumbh Mela.
Indian hospital where the injured from the stampede were admitted
(AFP) At least 18 people were killed during a stampede at a New Delhi station in India Saturday as they rushed to catch trains to attend the world's most crowded religious event, medical sources said.
The Hindu pilgrimage of the Kumbh Mela brings millions of worshippers every 12 years to Prayagraj, a city in northern India, where they bathe at the confluence of the holy rivers Ganges and Yamuna to atone for their sins.
The event often sees tragedies linked to crowds, including the death last month of at least 30 people in a stampede in Prayagraj.
Chaos at the New Delhi station appeared to break out on Saturday as crowds jostled to board trains to attend the celebration, which will end on Feb. 26.
World
India: At least 30 people killed in stampede during massive Kumbh Mela pilgrimage
Víctor Mendoza
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was "grieving" over the stampede. "My thoughts are with all those who lost their loved ones," he wrote on social networking site X.
The Kumbh Mela is the biggest event in the Hindu religious calendar and officials say some 500 million people have already visited the festival since it began last month.
LATEST
