At least 18 people lost their lives, and several others sustained injuries in a tragic stampede at New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday night. The incident occurred around 10 PM when thousands of devotees were heading to Prayagraj for the Maha Kumbh 2025 festival, leading to extreme overcrowding.
Victims Identified
The deceased have been identified 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
Eyewitness Accounts
An Indian Air Force (IAF) sergeant who witnessed the incident stated that despite multiple announcements urging passengers to avoid crowding, the situation remained unmanageable.
Ajit, speaking to media, recounted, “We have a tri-service office at the railway station. When I was returning after duty, I couldn’t move due to the huge crowd. I made announcements asking people to avoid gathering, but no one listened. The administration was trying to control the situation, but it was beyond control. I helped the injured along with a friend.”
Another eyewitness described the sheer panic, stating, “The crowd was beyond control, gathered at the foot over bridge. Such a massive rush was unprecedented. Even NDRF personnel were present, but once the crowd exceeded the limit, controlling them became impossible.”
Victims’ Families Speak
Sanjay, whose sister was among the deceased, recounted his tragic loss at LNJP hospital: “We were 12 people traveling to Maha Kumbh. We hadn’t even reached the platform but were on the stairs. My family, including my sister, got stuck in the crowd. We found her after half an hour, but she had already passed away.”
Another eyewitness blamed a last-minute train platform change for the chaos: “An announcement was made that a train arriving at platform 12 would now arrive at platform 16. The crowd rushed from both sides, leading to the stampede.”
Overcrowding and Delayed Departures Contributed to Tragedy
Authorities reported that around 1,500 general tickets were sold, further aggravating the situation. Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Railway, KPS Malhotra, confirmed that the congestion worsened due to delayed train departures. “The incident occurred when many passengers gathered on platform no. 14, where the Prayagraj Express was stationed. Delays in the departures of the Swatantrata Senani Express and Bhubaneswar Rajdhani led to further overcrowding at platforms 12, 13, and 14,” he said.
A high-level inquiry has been ordered by the Ministry of Railways to investigate the unfortunate incident.