New Delhi Railway Station stampede – On Sunday, February 16, 2025, Delhi Police launched an investigation into a devastating stampede that occurred at New Delhi Railway Station

New Delhi – Leading to the tragic deaths of at least 18 individuals. Authorities have stated that they will analyze CCTV footage and review station announcements in a bid to understand the exact cause of the chaos. The police have pointed to a potential miscommunication an erroneous announcement regarding platform changes—that may have contributed to the confusion, causing the stampede.

The incident took place on the night of February 15, around 10 PM, as thousands of passengers gathered at New Delhi Railway Station to board trains heading to Prayagraj for the ongoing Maha Kumbh festival. The crowd, particularly concentrated on platforms 14 and 15, quickly became unmanageable, leading to the stampede. Eyewitnesses have reported the overwhelming pressure of the situation, noting that despite numerous attempts to control the crowd, the situation escalated rapidly.

One of the eyewitnesses, an Indian Air Force (IAF) sergeant, described his experience while passing through the station. He witnessed the massive crowd and tried to make announcements, urging people to disperse and avoid congregating in large numbers. Despite these efforts, the crowd remained unresponsive, continuing to push forward. The sergeant mentioned that even though the administration was making attempts to control the crowd, it quickly became too large and uncontrollable. He also assisted injured people in the aftermath of the stampede.

New Delhi – Another eyewitness reported that the crowd was beyond the station’s capacity, with people crowding onto the foot over-bridge. This kind of congestion was unprecedented, even during major festivals, according to the witness. Despite the presence of administrative staff and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel, it became impossible to manage the situation as the crowd grew exponentially.

New Delhi’s Acting Chief Minister Atishi confirmed that 15 individuals were declared dead on arrival at the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) Hospital, with 14 of the deceased being women, including five minors—two of whom were younger than 10 years old. Additionally, approximately 15 people were injured, and they are currently receiving medical treatment. Due to the gravity of the situation, extra police forces were deployed around the LNJP Hospital.

Initial reports suggest that overcrowding on platforms, coupled with significant delays in train departures, may have contributed to the incident. According to the police, the platform congestion occurred due to a late-running train and a surge of passengers headed to Prayagraj for the Maha Kumbh festival. At one point, a wrong announcement regarding a platform change led to confusion, as crowds rushed from multiple directions, further intensifying the chaos.

A man who lost his sister in the stampede described the heart-wrenching scene. He explained that the family had not yet reached the platform and was still on the stairs when the stampede occurred. Despite efforts to locate his sister, they only found her lifeless body about 30 minutes later. This testimony highlights the suddenness of the tragedy and the panic that ensued during the stampede.

One of the other witnesses shared their perspective on how the announcement about platform changes contributed to the disaster. The announcement indicated that a train originally scheduled to arrive on platform 12 would now arrive on platform 16. This announcement led to the confusion, as people from both sides rushed to the new platform, ultimately resulting in the stampede. The witness mentioned that there was a lack of proper crowd control, which exacerbated the situation.

In response to the tragedy, the Railway Board took swift action. On Sunday, they formed a two-member high-level committee to investigate the causes of the stampede. They emphasized that train services had returned to normal and that four additional special trains had been deployed to manage the high volume of passengers. Railway officials also confirmed that the entry to the station was temporarily blocked to prevent further chaos, though the situation was eventually brought under control.

New Delhi – A senior officer from the Railway Police, DCP KPS Malhotra, stated that while they were aware of the possibility of a large crowd due to the ongoing festival, the stampede occurred so suddenly that it caught the authorities off guard. He explained that delays in the departure of trains like the Swatantrata Senani Express and Bhubaneshwar Rajdhani exacerbated congestion, particularly on platforms 12, 13, and 14. The chaos quickly escalated when the crowds grew beyond manageable levels.

Passenger testimonies further illustrate the overwhelming crowd at the station, with one individual sharing that they had never witnessed such a massive gathering even during major religious festivals. The station was experiencing an extraordinary influx of passengers, and despite the railways’ efforts to add extra trains and manage the crowds, the magnitude of the situation led to a breakdown in crowd control.

In light of the tragedy, the Railway Board confirmed that there was a high number of passengers present at the station, far exceeding normal levels. This influx of people, combined with the delays and miscommunication, led to the dangerous overcrowding that ultimately resulted in the stampede.

New Delhi

The New Delhi Police and Railway authorities are continuing to review all relevant footage and gather additional data to better understand the causes of this preventable tragedy. The ongoing investigation aims to prevent such incidents in the future and ensure the safety of passengers during large-scale events such as the Maha Kumbh.

As of now, the situation at the New Delhi railway station is reported to be under control, and the injured are receiving treatment. The authorities are taking steps to provide assistance to the victims’ families and ensure that similar incidents are avoided moving forward.

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