A tragic stampede at New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday night has resulted in the deaths of 18 people, including 14 women and one man, while several others sustained injuries.
The incident occurred as thousands of devotees gathered at the station to travel to Prayagraj for the Mahakumbh Mela.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
In response to the tragedy, Indian Railways has announced compensation of ₹10 lakh for the families of the deceased, ₹2.5 lakh for the seriously injured, and ₹1 lakh for those with minor injuries.
Investigation Launched into Stampede
Speaking on the incident, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Railways) K.P.S. Malhotra stated that the exact cause of the stampede would be determined following a thorough investigation led by the railway authorities. “We anticipated a large crowd, but due to the delay of two trains and an overwhelming number of passengers at the station, the situation escalated,” Malhotra said.
He added that misinformation or sudden announcements can sometimes trigger panic, leading to such incidents.
Railway Ministry spokesperson Dilip Kumar also provided preliminary details, stating that a large number of passengers had arrived for the Prayagraj Express and Magadh Express late at night, mistakenly believing these were the last trains available. This confusion contributed to the chaos.
Eyewitness Accounts Describe the Chaos
Eyewitnesses reported that the stampede occurred on a footbridge rather than the platform.
According to some accounts, an announcement about a train’s arrival shifting from platform 12 to platform 16 caused panic, leading to a surge in movement and the subsequent stampede.
Small traders at the railway station described the situation as unprecedented, stating that despite the continuous operation of trains from Delhi to Prayagraj, the sheer size of the crowd overwhelmed security personnel.
