Stampede at New Delhi Railway Station Claims 18 Lives, Over 25 Injured

New Delhi, 16th February 2025: A tragic stampede at New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday night resulted in the deaths of 18 people, including 14 women and three children, while over 25 others sustained injuries. The incident occurred around 9:26 pm between platforms 13, 14, and 15. Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) Hospital later confirmed the fatalities.

The chaos unfolded as massive crowds gathered at the station from 4 pm, primarily pilgrims heading to Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj. At around 8:30 pm, delays in three key trains—Prayagraj Special, Bhubaneswar Rajdhani, and Swatantrata Senani Express—exacerbated the congestion, leading to the deadly stampede.

Confusion Over Train Announcements Led to Panic

Eyewitnesses reported that overcrowding intensified due to a sudden announcement redirecting Bhubaneswar Rajdhani from platform 14 to platform 16. “The moment the announcement was made, a large number of people rushed from platform 14 to platform 16, creating chaos,” said a passenger. Many of those waiting at the ticket counter, most of whom were Maha Kumbh pilgrims, also ran toward the platform without tickets, adding to the disorder.

Lack of Crowd Management Worsened the Situation

Despite witnessing increased crowds over the past two weekends, the station authorities had not set up a control room to manage the rush. “Even on Saturday, when the crowd started swelling around 7 pm, no proactive measures were taken,” said an official familiar with the situation.

After the stampede, passengers were seen lying unconscious, while others frantically searched for their relatives in distress. Some survivors described the harrowing experience of being trapped in the crowd.

Eyewitnesses Recall Horror at the Station

“The crowd was so dense that there was no place to put a foot. People were crammed into the train compartments, and only a handful of policemen were present,” said an eyewitness. “The police were shouting at people, saying, ‘If you want to save your life, go back! Your money is not lost, your life is saved.'”

Pramod Chaurasia, a passenger with a confirmed ticket for Purushottam Express, said, “I had a sleeper ticket, but the crowd was so overwhelming that even those with confirmed tickets could not enter the compartments. The pushing and shoving were so intense that I barely managed to escape.”

Another passenger, Dharmendra Singh, added, “Two trains were already delayed, and some were canceled, which created an unprecedented rush. I have never seen such a crowd at this station. I personally saw six or seven women being carried away on stretchers.”

Railway Officials’ Version of Events

Northern Railway official Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyay provided a different perspective on the tragedy, stating that a passenger slipped on the stairs, which triggered the stampede. “At the time of the incident, Magadh Express bound for Patna was stationed at platform 14, while Uttar Sampark Kranti heading to Jammu was at platform 15. A passenger moving towards platforms 14-15 slipped on the stairs, causing others behind him to fall, leading to the tragic incident,” he said. He also clarified that no trains were canceled or platforms changed. The incident is currently under investigation.

Political Reactions and Official Responses

Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) VK Saxena initially tweeted condolences at 11:55 pm, acknowledging multiple deaths. However, within half an hour, he edited his tweet, removing mentions of fatalities and stating that he had spoken to the Chief Secretary and Police Commissioner to handle the situation.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his sorrow over the incident, tweeting at 12:56 am, “Saddened by the stampede at New Delhi Railway Station. My condolences are with all those who lost their loved ones. Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured.”

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav has reached out to Home Minister Amit Shah regarding the incident. Investigations are ongoing, and further details are expected to emerge in the coming days.

Recurring Tragedies During Maha Kumbh Travel

This is not the first time stampedes have occurred in relation to Maha Kumbh travel. On January 29, a similar tragedy in Prayagraj claimed 30 lives. In 2013, a stampede at Prayagraj station during Kumbh Mela killed 36 people.

With yet another avoidable disaster, questions are being raised about railway authorities’ preparedness in handling large crowds during major religious events.