At least 18 persons were killed and several others were injured in a stampede at the New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday, reported ANI.

The incident occurred around 10 pm on platforms 13 and 14, where a huge crowd had gathered to board their trains to Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj for the ongoing Maha Kumbh pilgrimage, according to India Today.

The Ministry of Railways has announced compensation of Rs 10 lakh each to the families of those who died while those with serious injuries will receive Rs 2.5 lakh and those with minor injuries will get Rs 1 lakh, reported PTI.

The Railways stated that “an unprecedented rush situation” had developed at the platform, due to which, “some individuals fainted, which led to rumours of a stampede-like situation, causing panic among travellers”.

“The situation was later brought under control by easing the congestion,” The Indian Express quoted the statement. “The fainted and injured passengers were immediately taken to nearby hospitals by the Railway Protection Force and Delhi Police.”

Deputy Commissioner of Police for Railways, KPS Malhotra, told the newspaper that “a lot of people had gathered” when Prayagraj Express was on platform number 14.

“Swatantrata Senani Express and Bhubaneshwar Rajdhani were delayed, and passengers of these trains were also present at platforms 12, 13 and 14,” added Malhotra. “As per our information, 1,500 general tickets were sold, which is why the crowd became uncontrollable.”

In a social media post, Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that a high-level inquiry had been ordered into the stampede.

He added that four special trains were run to evacuate the “unprecedented sudden rush”.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was “distressed” by the stampede and expressed condolences to the families of those who died.

“The authorities are assisting all those who have been affected by this stampede,” he wrote on social media.

President Droupadi Murmu also expressed her condolences.

The Congress said the news of the deaths in the stampede was “extremely painful”

“The Congress family’s condolences are with the affected families,” the party stated.

It added: “This tragic incident also raises some questions. If the government knew that Maha Kumbh was going on, then why were more trains not run during that time? Why were no arrangements made to control the crowd at the railway station?”

Expressing condolences to the victim’s families, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the incident “once again highlights the failure of the railways and the insensitivity of the government”.

“Considering the large number of devotees going to Prayagraj, better arrangements should have been made at the station,” Gandhi wrote on X.

Opposition parties accused the Union government of covering up the number of deaths.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said that “the attempt by the Narendra Modi government to hide the truth in the case of deaths at New Delhi Railway Station is extremely shameful and condemnable”.

“We demand that the number of dead and injured be declared as soon as possible and the identity of the missing people should also be ensured,” said Kharge in a post on X.

Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said that “the government is always worried about how to stop the news of these deaths” rather than preventing accidents. He added that CCTV footage from the platforms should be made public to ensure accountability.

Trinamool Congress MP Saket Gokhale alleged that there was a “brazen attempt at cover-up until the bodies started showing up”.

“If PM Modi has even an iota of shame or concern for people’s lives, he must sack [railways minister] Ashwini Vaishnaw immediately,” Gokhale added.

Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi said: “There will be no resignation instead as I&B [Information and Broadcasting Ministry] incharge to media will train their guns on opposition and some mythical ‘conspiracy theory’”.

Delhi’s outgoing chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party leader Atishi said that the “central government and the Uttar Pradesh government are not concerned about the safety” of the people visiting the Kumbh Mela.

On January 29, a stampede broke out at the Maha Kumbh Mela pilgrimage site as many pilgrims arrived to take a holy bath on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya, a spiritually significant day in the Hindu calendar.

At least 30 persons were killed.