At least 18 people were killed and more than a dozen injured in a stampede that broke out on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday at New Delhi Railway Station. Among the dead were 11 women and four children. A vendor in the station premises said he has never seen such a crowd in 26 years, while Indian Air Force sergeant Ajit authorities remained helpless as crowds refused to pay heed to instructions regarding overcrowding the trains and platforms. A passenger Pramod Chaurasia said, \”I had a sleeper-class ticket for Purushottam Express but even those with confirmed tickets could not board the train. One of my friends and a female passenger got stuck in the crowd. There was too much pushing and jostling. We managed to stay safe by waiting outside with our children\” The Railway Board said a two-member high-level committee had been formed to investigate the matter and determine the cause of the stampede. The stampede broke out around 9.55 pm, eyewitnesses said several people fainted due to suffocation.
