Stampede death toll rises to 18 in Delhi, India

NEW DELHI -- The death toll in Saturday's stampede at the New Delhi railway station rose to 18, confirmed a government official on Sunday.

Among the dead were 10 women, four children and four men.

Besides, around two dozen people were injured in the tragedy which struck late on Saturday night.

The victims had gathered at the railway station to board a special train to Prayagraj district of the northern state of Uttar Pradesh to take the holy dip in "Triveni Sangam," the confluence of three rivers of Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati during the ongoing spiritual festival "Maha Kumbh."

According to an official of the Indian Railways, huge crowd beyond the capacity of the railway station was present when the tragedy struck. There was a confusion about the arrival of the special train at one of the platforms, even as people ran towards another platform falling over one another.

People from across the country had been visiting Prayagraj over the past month to take the holy dip in Prayagraj.