New Delhi [India]: The Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of Northern Railway, Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyay, stated on Sunday that a passenger slipping on the stairs led to the tragic stampede at New Delhi Railway Station, which claimed 18 lives.
Speaking about the incident, Upadhyay said, “When this tragic incident took place yesterday, the Magadh Express bound for Patna was on platform 14, and the Uttar Sampark Kranti Express headed for Jammu was on platform 15. A passenger moving towards platforms 14-15 slipped and fell on the stairs, causing many passengers behind him to stumble, leading to the stampede.”
He further confirmed that the matter is under investigation by a high-level committee.
“No train was cancelled, nor was there any change in platform… The incident is being investigated, so let the committee submit their report and findings. The situation at the platform is normal now. All trains are running at their usual time,” he added.
Overcrowding and Fatalities
The stampede occurred around 10 p.m. on Saturday as thousands of devotees gathered at the station to travel to Prayagraj for the Maha Kumbh 2025 festival. The sale of approximately 1,500 general tickets contributed to overcrowding, exacerbating the situation near platform 14 and the escalator at platform 1.
Authorities have identified the deceased as:
- 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
Authorities Respond
NDRF Commandant Daulat Ram Chaudhary confirmed that the situation is now under control.
“The situation is under control now. The injured have been evacuated… We received information about a stampede at platform no. 14 and immediately began rescue operations,” he stated.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Railway, KPS Malhotra, highlighted that the delays of the Swatantrata Senani Express and Bhubaneswar Rajdhani also contributed to the congestion at platforms 12, 13, and 14.
Meanwhile, the Railway Board has set up a two-member high-level committee to investigate the incident and determine the cause.
“A two-member high-level committee has been formed to investigate the matter… The situation is under control, and passengers have been sent by special train. Train movement at the railway station is normal now,” said Dilip Kumar, Executive Director of Information & Publicity (ED/IP), Railway Board.
Authorities are now under pressure to ensure better crowd management and prevent such incidents in the future.