'Overcrowding started stampede' which killed 36 in India

A stampede in which 36 people died at an Indian railway station was caused by overcrowding, a minister said today.

Railway minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said that too many people had been on the platforms at the station in Allahabad as tens of thousands of people were trying to return home from the Kumbh Mela festival.

Station officials announced a last-minute change in platforms which led to the stampede.

Mr Bansal said: “There were too many people on the platforms. The station was overcrowded.”

He denied that the chaos was caused by the collapse of a railing on a pedestrian bridge and announced an investigation into the disaster.

However, some witnesses blamed police for the stampede. Passenger Shushanto Kumar Sen said: “We heard an announcement that our train is coming on platform number 4 and when we started moving toward that platform through a footbridge, we were stopped.

"Then suddenly the police charged us with batons and the stampede started. I saw people, particularly women and children, being trampled by others.”

Police have denied using batons.

Yesterday was one of the holiest days to bathe in the confluence of three rivers during the 55-day festival which is being attended by an estimated 30 million Hindus.