10 killed in Allahabad railway station stampede

Allahabad, Feb 10 (IANS) Ten people were killed and over a dozen injured when the railing of a foot overbridge at Allahabad railway station collapsed Sunday due to rush of passengers, Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said.

“As many as 10 people have been killed…we have set up a helpline at Delhi railway station,” Bansal told reporters in Delhi.

A cane charge-prompted stampede preceded the incident at 7.15 p.m. on platform number 6 of the railway station in the city which hosted over three crore devotees at the Kumbh Mela during the biggest bathing day ‘Mauni Amavasya’, officials said.

After the deaths, the Uttar Pradesh government requested the railways to shift some trains from the busy Allahabad station to the Prayag station on the outskirts of the city, 200 km from state capital Lucknow, an official said.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh condoled the death of pilgrims in the stampede and directed central ministries, including the railways, to extend all possible help to the state government in relief operations.

“I send my heartfelt condolences to the members of the bereaved families and wish those injured a speedy recovery,” said an official tweet message from the prime minister’s office after reports of the stampede came in.

IANS 2013-02-10 23:45:24