A stampede at New Delhi’s railway station claimed the lives of at least 18 individuals, including 14 women, according to the Press Trust of India.

Many victims were Hindu pilgrims en route to Prayagraj for a religious festival, Delhi’s acting chief minister, Atishi, confirmed.

The incident unfolded late Saturday amidst a large crowd awaiting a train. Authorities reported that the stampede began when passengers fell while descending a footbridge connecting platforms.

Sheela Devi, at Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narain Hospital to retrieve her daughter-in-law’s body, attributed the chaos to an announcement regarding platform changes, which caused confusion and a surge of panicked passengers.

Witness Nikhil Kumar, a local shopkeeper, described the crowd as uncontrollable.

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Expressing distress over the incident, [Name of individual making statement] offered condolences to the bereaved and wished a swift recovery for the injured, noting authorities were providing assistance.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced a formal investigation into the stampede’s cause.

A similar tragedy occurred last month at the same six-week festival, resulting in at least 30 fatalities during a mass gathering at the sacred river.