New Delhi Railway Station Stampede: High Level Committee Begins Probe

New Delhi, 16th February 2025: A high-level committee has commenced its investigation into the tragic stampede at New Delhi Railway Station that claimed 18 lives on February 15. The incident occurred as a massive crowd gathered to board trains for the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh.

The two-member panel, consisting of Narsingh Deo, Principal Chief Commercial Manager, and Pankaj Gangwar, Principal Chief Security Commissioner of Northern Railway, has been tasked with conducting a thorough inquiry into the circumstances that led to the stampede.

As part of their investigation, the committee has ordered the securing of all video footage from the railway station to aid in their probe.

According to Himanshu Upadhyay, Chief Public Relations Officer of Northern Railway, the stampede occurred when passengers were descending from a footover bridge towards platforms 14 and 15. “Some people who were coming down from the footover bridge towards platform numbers 14 and 15 using stairs slipped and fell on others,” he explained.

The incident has raised serious concerns about crowd management at the station during peak travel times. Sources suggest that delays in train departures and the sale of 1,500 general tickets every hour may have contributed to the chaotic situation. The tragedy has also sparked political reactions, with AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi demanding an independent, judicially-monitored SIT to investigate the incident.

As the investigation unfolds, the railway authorities are reviewing CCTV footage to understand the sequence of events leading up to the stampede. The Ministry of Railways has assured that the situation is now under control, with passengers being accommodated on special trains.