NEW DELHI: With the death toll in the overnight stampede at the New Delhi Railway Station climbing to 18 on Sunday, porters recounted their harrowing experience of carrying bodies on handcarts amid the chaos.
Describing the situation, Krishna Kumar Jogi, a porter at the station, said the crowd swelled when a train bound for Prayagraj arrived.
"A massive crowd gathered on the (footover) bridge. People were packed so tightly that many suffocated. Around 10-15 people lost their lives right there," he claimed.
"I witnessed the entire incident. We carried dead bodies from platform numbers 14 and 15 to the ambulance," he added.
Children and women were among those crushed in the crowd, struggling to breathe amid the suffocation, he said.
Citing the cause of the stampede, Northern Railway's Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Himanshu Upadhyay said on Sunday, "Some people who were coming down from the footover bridge towards platform numbers 14 and 15 using stairs slipped and fell on others."
Recalling the distressing scene, Balram, a porter, said, "We carried dead bodies on handcarts, the same ones we use for luggage. In my 15 years as a porter, I have never seen such a massive crowd."
Another porter described how there was a swell in crowd around 9:30 pm on Saturday when the Prayagraj-bound train was at the platform.
"People's shoes, slippers, and other belongings were scattered everywhere. We pulled out many children and elderly individuals from the chaos," he said.
Officials said the stampede was triggered by an overwhelming number of passengers waiting to board trains for Prayagraj, where the Maha Kumbh is underway, from platform numbers 14 and 15.
The death toll has risen to 18, with more than a dozen others injured.
The Railways has announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each for the next of kin of those killed in the stampede. Those seriously injured will get Rs 2.5 lakh and those with minor injuries 1 lakh, the Railways said.