A stampede at New Delhi railway station tragically killed 18 people. The incident occurred after two trains to Prayagraj were canceled, leading to chaos. As a result, passengers scrambled to board other trains, creating a dangerous situation.

Surge in Passengers Leads to Panic

The railway ministry explained that a sudden increase in passengers triggered panic. This rush caused many people to faint, and the overcrowding situation only worsened due to delayed trains.

Crowd Grows on Platform 14

Officials reported that platform 14, where the Prayagraj Express was supposed to depart, became severely overcrowded. Many passengers were gathering there for the Maha Kumbh mela in Prayagraj. Additionally, two other trains, the Swatantrata Senani Express and Bhubaneshwar Rajdhani, were delayed. As a result, the crowd expanded across platforms 12, 13, and 14, worsening the situation.

KPS Malhotra, DCP (Railways), explained, “When Prayagraj Express was standing at platform number 14, a heavy crowd was present at the platform. Swatantrata Senani Express and Bhubaneshwar Rajdhani were delayed and passengers of these trains were also present at platform no. 12, 13, and 14. That’s why the crowd became uncontrollable.” He added that the stampede occurred in two separate areas: “one at platform number 14 and another close to the escalator near platform number 16.”

Blocked Staircases Make the Situation Worse

Meanwhile, railway officials blocked one staircase each on platforms 14 and 15 to manage the crowd. However, as trains continued to be delayed, more people rushed toward the staircases. Consequently, the staircases became overcrowded, with people pushing to either reach the train or climb the stairs. An official stated, “This pushing led to many people falling and caused the stampede. Others suffocated as the crowd kept swelling on the platform.”

Railway Ministry Orders Probe

In light of the tragedy, the railway ministry has ordered a high-level investigation into the stampede.