Stampede at New Delhi Station Kills 18

At least 18 people, including 14 women, died in a stampede at a New Delhi railway station Saturday night. The incident, reported on Sunday, occurred during a gathering of thousands waiting for a train. Hindu pilgrims heading to the Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj were among the victims, according to Delhi's caretaker chief minister, Atishi. The chaos began when some passengers slipped on a footbridge connecting train platforms, a situation exacerbated by a platform change announcement.

"An announcement about a change of train platforms created confusion among the passengers that led to the stampede," says one woman whose daughter-in-law was killed. Witness Nikhil Kumar said: "The crowd went out of control and no one could control it." Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed distress and condolences, saying: "My thoughts are with all those who have lost their loved ones. I pray that the injured have a speedy recovery." An investigation, ordered by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, seeks to find the cause. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)