Indian railway stampede kills 22 people

A Friday stampede on a crowded pedestrian bridge at an Indian railway station killed at least 22 people and injured more than 30 others. The stampede happened during the morning rush hour at Mumbai’s Elphinstone station. Indian Railways spokesman Ravindran Bhakar told the AFP news agency that many passengers sought shelter under the bridge from heavy rainfall when the stampede started. Commuters jumped over the railing while the rushing crowd trampled others. “There was nobody helping,” said Brijesh Upadhyay, who got stuck in the crowd. “It was very suffocating, and we just wanted to get out of there—and fell on each other.” Indian police are investigating what triggered the movement. Mumbai police official Gansham Patel said some falling concrete landed on part of the bridge railing, likely leading people to rush forward out of fear the bridge might collapse. India has faced criticism for its insufficient infrastructure and crowd-control measures in the densely populated country. A 2013 stampede in central India killed more than 110 people.