New Delhi [India], February 16: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Praveen Khandelwal expressed his condolences and termed the stampede at New Delhi Railway Station, which led to the tragic death of at least 18 people, as “extremely unfortunate.”
Khandelwal stated, “The incident is extremely unfortunate where 18 people died. All of them were going to the Maha Kumbh.” He also mentioned that the Railways had formed a committee to investigate the cause of the incident and that action would be taken against those responsible. “The Railway has formed a committee to investigate the cause of the incident, and action will be taken against the accused…The Prime Minister has also taken cognisance,” he added.
The stampede occurred around 10 PM on Saturday when thousands of devotees were heading to Prayagraj for the Maha Kumbh 2025 festival, which caused severe overcrowding at the station. According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Railway, KPS Malhotra, the incident occurred on platform number 14 where the Prayagraj Express was stationed. Further delays in the departures of the Swatantrata Senani Express and Bhubaneswar Rajdhani trains led to additional congestion at platforms 12, 13, and 14.
Eyewitnesses reported that chaos unfolded after an announcement regarding a train platform change. One eyewitness described how the crowd rushed from both sides after the announcement that the train scheduled for platform 12 would now be arriving at platform 16. The overwhelming crowd led to the stampede, with some people being taken to the hospital.
The situation worsened due to the sale of around 1,500 general tickets, exacerbating the already heavy crowd. Another eyewitness described the crowd as uncontrollable, with NDRF personnel and other officials present, but unable to manage the situation as the crowd exceeded the limit. “The crowd was beyond control; people were gathered at the foot over the bridge… I have never seen such a massive crowd at the railway station, even during festivals,” he said.
The authorities have begun investigations, and the Railways is working to ensure that action is taken to prevent such incidents in the future.