Join our Whatsapp channel
The tragic stampede at New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday night has taken lives of 18 passengers by now. The deceased include 14 women and three children, with more than a dozen others injured. The incident occurred around 9.55 PM as thousands of passengers gathered to board trains to the Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj.
The chaos began when an announcement directed passengers to change platforms, leading to confusion and panic. As crowds moved towards platforms 14 and 15, a passenger slipped on the stairs, causing a domino effect that led to the deadly stampede. Chief Public Relations Officer of Northern Railway, Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyay, stated that the incident is under investigation by a high level committee.
Reports indicate that approximately 1,500 general tickets were sold every hour for trains departing to the Maha Kumbh, significantly exceeding the station’s capacity. The situation was exacerbated by delays of two trains, leading to a surge of passengers within a short timeframe. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Railway) KPS Malhotra noted that the combination of train delays and the influx of passengers was the main cause of the stampede.
Emergency services swiftly transported the injured to Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narain Hospital for treatment. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his distress over the incident and extended condolences to the victims’ families. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced an official investigation to determine the exact cause and prevent future occurrences.
This incident follows a similar tragedy at the Maha Kumbh Mela festival earlier in January, where at least 30 people lost their lives in a stampede. The recurring nature of such events has raised concerns about crowd management and safety protocols during large gatherings.
In the aftermath, political leaders and the public have called for improved safety measures and accountability. The Congress party has demanded the resignation of the Railway Minister, citing negligence in handling passenger safety. Business leader Anand Mahindra emphasized the need for a comprehensive crowd management template to prevent such tragedies in the future.
Identified deceased (Age in brackets)
- Aaha Devi (79)
- Pinky Devi (41)
- Sheela Devi (50)
- Vyom (25)
- Poonam Devi (40)
- Lalita Devi (35)
- Suruchi (11)
- Krishna Devi (40)
- Vijay Sah (15)
- Neeraj (12)
- Shanti Devi (40)
- Pooja Kumar (8)
- Sangeeta Malik (34)
- Poonam (34)
- Mamta Jha (40)
- Riya Singh (7)
- Baby Kumari (24)
- Manoj (47)
How things went out of control: Speaking to the media, KPS Malhotra explained that the extraordinary rush at New Delhi Railway Station platforms contributed to the stampede. He revealed that passengers of two trains, the Swatantrata Senani Express and Bhubaneswar Rajdhani, were present on platforms 12 to 14 when the incident occurred. Approximately 1,500 general tickets were sold every hour, leading to a situation where crowd management became unmanageable.
According to available information, the tragedy occurred when passengers slipped and fell on each other on the stairs leading to platforms 14 and 15 at New Delhi Railway Station at 9:55 pm on Saturday. Another report suggested that confusion arose among passengers of the Prayagraj Express and Prayagraj Special trains, causing crowds on platforms 12 and 14 to lose direction. An announcement about a special train added to the confusion, worsening the situation.
Investigation underway: A high level committee has been formed to investigate the cause of the tragic incident. The team will review all CCTV footage from the station, interview eyewitnesses, and examine all relevant aspects of the event.
Additional information: New Delhi Railway Station experiences heavy traffic during the days of the Prayagraj Maha Kumbh Mela. Around 350 to 400 trains operate daily between Delhi and Prayagraj. On the day of the stampede, 339 trains departed from Delhi to Prayagraj, carrying over 1.4 million passengers.
Lalu Prasad Yadav criticises Maha Kumbh, calls it ‘Faaltu’: Rashtriya Janata Dal supremo and former Union Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav sparked controversy by describing the Maha Kumbh as “useless.” He also blamed the Railways for mismanaging the situation and the crowd surge. In a media interaction,, Lalu Prasad Yadav said, “Kumbh ka kahan koi matlab hai? Faaltu hai Kumbh.” (What is the point of Kumbh? It is useless.)
New arrangements: According to Deputy Commissioner of Police for Railways, KPS Malhotra, special measures have been implemented to manage the heavy footfall, including the introduction of special trains and additional deployments for regular services. Rope barricading has also been set up at platforms to control movement and prevent overcrowding. Malhotra confirmed that the situation is now under control.
Northern Railways’ statement: Shekhar Upadhyay, Chief Public Relations Officer of Northern Railways, informed India Today that there were no train cancellations, as was initially speculated. He clarified that a large number of Maha Kumbh devotees had gathered at platform 14 to board the Prayagraj Express, contributing to the crowd surge.
Here are messages from prominent figures including PM Modi, Rahul Gandhi, on the incident.
Narendra Modi on X: Distressed by the stampede at New Delhi Railway Station. My thoughts are with all those who have lost their loved ones. I pray that the injured have a speedy recovery. The authorities are assisting all those who have been affected by this stampede.
Rahul Gandhi on X (Translated from his Hindi post): The news of several people dying and many getting injured due to the stampede at New Delhi Railway Station is extremely sad and distressing. I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved families and hope for the speedy recovery of the injured. This incident once again highlights the failure of the Railways and the insensitivity of the government. Considering the large number of devotees going to Prayagraj, better arrangements should have been made at the station. The government and administration should ensure that no one has to lose their life due to mismanagement and negligence.
Yogi Adityanath on X (Translated from his Hindi post): The loss of life in the accident at New Delhi Railway Station is extremely sad and heart-breaking. My condolences are with the bereaved families. I pray to Lord Shri Ram to grant salvation to the departed souls, strength to the bereaved families to bear this immense sorrow and speedy recovery to the injured.
Raghav Chadha on X: The tragic stampede at New Delhi Railway Station has shaken us all. Several innocent lives have been lost, including women and children. This disaster is a glaring example of gross mismanagement and lack of crowd control measures.
On February 11, I had raised this issue in Parliament, warning about the urgent need for better management protocols at railway stations, but the government ignored it.
My deepest condolences to the families of the victims. Those responsible must be held accountable, and immediate reforms are necessary to prevent such tragedies in the future.
Arvind Kejriwal on X (Translated from his Hindi post): The tragic death of devotees traveling to the Maha Kumbh in the accident at New Delhi Railway Station is extremely sad and painful. May God grant peace to their souls. My condolences to all the families who have lost their loved ones in this incident.
Shikhar Dhawan on X: Deeply saddened by the tragic stampede at New Delhi Railway Station. Life is precious, and seeing so many innocent lives lost is heartbreaking. My Prayers go out to the families who lost their loved ones. May God give them strength in this tough time. 🙏
Ministry of Railways on X: (19 hours ago): The situation is under control at New Delhi Railway Station. Delhi Police and RPF have arrived. The injured have been taken to the hospital. Special trains are being run to manage the sudden rush.
Ashwini Vaishnaw on X: Situation under control at New Delhi railway station (NDLS) Delhi Police and RPF reached. Injured taken to hospital. Special trains being run to evacuate sudden rush.
Jamaat-e-Islami Hind on X: We are deeply saddened by the tragic stampede at New Delhi Railway Station, which has claimed innocent lives and left many injured. Our heartfelt condolences go out to the families of the deceased, and We pray for the swift recovery of those affected.
We urge the authorities to conduct a high-level, impartial inquiry to determine the cause of the stampede, fix accountability, and take action against those responsible for lapses in crowd management. The government must accept responsibility and implement immediate measures to prevent a recurrence of such tragedies.
Ensuring the safety and well-being of citizens, especially during large public gatherings, must be a top priority.
— Prof. Salim Engineer, Vice President, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind
