Heavy rush of passengers to catch a train for Mahakumbh, at the New Delhi railway station Photo: PTI Heavy rush of passengers to catch a train for Mahakumbh, at the New Delhi railway station Photo: PTI

At least 18 people have died in a stampede that occurred on the New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday night after two trains to Prayagraj, where Kumbh is being held, were cancelled. 

According to PTI, station porter Krishna Kumar Jogi said the commotion started when a Prayagraj-bound train arrived. "People were packed so tightly on the foot-over bridge that many suffocated. Around 10-15 died on the spot," he said. He added that he helped carry bodies from platforms 14 and 15 to ambulances. 

This is among the many stampedes in recent times. Outlook revisits past incidents:

Mahakumbh Stampede

This is not the first time a stampede has been directly or indirectly linked to the Kumbh Mela this year. Just last month, on January 29, a deadly stampede occurred at the Mahakumbh Mela in Prayagraj which claimed around 30 lives, according to the Uttar Pradesh government, though the actual toll may be higher.

The chaos erupted around 2 am during the Mauni Amavasya, a highly auspicious occasion, when a massive crowd broke through barriers at the ghats. Many had waited overnight for the holy dip, leading to a deadly rush. Hours later, a second stampede occurred in the Jhusi area, just 2 km from the first site, as authorities were still managing the initial tragedy.

The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and the Mela administration faced backlash from the opposition over the handling of the tragedy. Critics accused them of mismanaging the event, failing to disclose the actual death toll, and delaying acknowledgment of the stampede for several hours. The movement of VIPs was also blamed for creating bottlenecks, worsening the crowd situation at the ghats.

Baba Bhole Nath Hathras Satsang Stampede

On July 2, a massive crowd of 2.5 lakh devotees gathered in Phulari village, Hathras, for a religious sermon by ‘Bhole Baba,’ a former policeman-turned-preacher with a strong following in western Uttar Pradesh. A deadly stampede broke out, killing 116 people in one of the worst such tragedies in recent years. The Baba later blamed "anti-social elements" for the chaos.

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Preliminary reports suggested that the stampede began when his security allegedly pushed back devotees trying to touch his feet, while others claim it started when followers ran after his departing cavalcade. A day later, an FIR was lodged, and the Uttar Pradesh government ordered a judicial probe. 

New Delhi Railway Station Stampede LIVE: At Least 18 Dead, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw Meets Home Minister Amit Shah

BY Outlook Web Desk

Tirupati Stampede

At least six people died and 35 were injured in a stampede at the Lord Venkateswara Temple on Tirumala Hills in Andhra Pradesh on January 8, 2025. The chaos broke out as thousands of devotees rushed to get free passes for Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam.

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Stampede Scare in Mumbai

In July, a stampede-like situation erupted near Mumbai airport as 25,000 job seekers rushed to apply for 600 loader vacancies at Air India. The airline's staff struggled to control the massive crowd but no casualties were reported.

Vaishno Devi stampede

In January 2022, a stampede at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra, Jammumango win, killed 12 devotees and injured 15. The incident occurred around 2:45 am as a large crowd gathered for New Year darshan. According to sources, an argument among some young men led to pushing, triggering the stampede.