At least 18 people, including eleven women and five children, were killed while over a dozen were injured in a stampede that took place at the New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday night, officials said on Sunday.

Inquest proceedings have been initiated in the matter as people died and accordingly the post mortem and other procedures were done, a police official said.

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Chief Public Relations Officer of Northern Railway, while speaking to a news agency about the incident, said this time, an unprecedented number of devotees are arriving at the Maha Kumbh while a record number of special trains have been introduced for their convenience.

Talking of the unfortunate incident, he said last night when passengers were waiting on Platform 14 for Prayagraj Express as an announcement was made about the arrival of the Special Train on Platform 12, people started moving towards Platform 12 in large numbers, during which a passenger slipped and fell on one another resulting in a stampede.

Meanwhile, it is being said that a confusion could have happened because of the announcement of the trains having the same initial name starting with ‘Prayagraj,’ while people suddenly wanting to head for the other platform. The CCTV footage will play an important role in determining the reasons behind the incident and Railways have formed a high level committee, which is now probing the incident.

So far, the deceased have been identified as Asha Devi, Pinky Devi, Sheela Devi, Vyom, Poonam Devi, Lalita Devi, Suruchi,  Krishna Devi, Vijay, Neeraj, Shanti Devi, Pooja Kumar, Sangeeta Malik, Poonam, Mamta Jha, Riya Singh, Baby Kumari and Manoj.

According to sources, the majority of the injured have sustained lower limb injuries, and few have bone injuries. Some of them are still under observation, while some had been discharged, while a team of 15 doctors are taking care of the injured at the LNJP Hospital, sources said.

A call regarding the incident was received at around 2155 hours on Saturday and soon the emergency services pressed into service and injured were rushed to the hospitals, while some were reportedly declared brought dead.

The eyewitnesses say that the scene was chaotic as people slipped from stairs, falling on each other amid the heavy crowd. Another claimed that the crowd was unprecedented and beyond control despite the presence of the administration.

A woman, relative of one of the deceased who had arrived at LNJP Hospital on Sunday to receive the body of her family member, said the sudden announcement regarding the platform led to the chaos. “There was suddenly an announcement that the train will be coming on platform 14. People started running, and there was a stampede,” she added.

Speaking to reporters, a man said he lost all his belongings in the mishap, while another woman, who was travelling to Bihar, also has the same complaint. She was with her small child and her belongings which were lost during the chaos.

Meanwhile, a compensation of Rs 10 lakh has been announced by the Indian Railways for the families of the deceased who lost their lives in the tragic incident. Additionally, the Railways announced a compensation of Rs 2.5 lakh for those seriously injured in the incident and Rs 1 lakh for those with minor injuries.

It is being said that the porters at the station played a crucial role in the rescue work by helping the administration assist in taking the injured to the ambulances.

Meanwhile, DCP Railways at New Delhi KPS Malhotra, while speaking to a news agency, said keeping in view the current scenario if there is an increased footfall and extra trains need to be operated to cater to the increased footfall, the police have stepped arrangements – as far as the manpower and force is concerned.

He said if the transition of individual to group, group to crowd and crowd to mob is avoided, such incidents can be averted to a great extent.

Malhotra also asserted that now, the main focus is current management and future prevention.