New Delhi:

An investigation into the deadly stampede at New Delhi railway station on Saturday, which killed 18 – including five children – has revealed that a senior Railway Police Force (RPF) official had asked the station manager not to issue any more tickets after he sensed that the crowd had become too large and an uncontrollable situation could arise, but thousands were already on the platforms by then, sources have told NDTV.  

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has, however, said that there was no extraordinary rush at the station. 

Sources said an RPF investigation report into the incident found that four trains to Prayagraj were scheduled to leave the New Delhi railway station between 8.15 pm and 10.10 pm – a span of just two hours – resulting in a massive crowd of Maha Kumbh devotees descending on the platforms. Reports had said that, on average, nearly 1,500 general tickets were sold at the station every hour and many more were purchased online. 

The RPF report said that the Shiv Ganga Express, between New Delhi and Varanasi via Prayagraj, was scheduled to depart from platform number 12 at 8.15 pm, the Magadh Express to West Bengal’s Islampur via Prayagraj from platform number 14 at 9 pm and the Prayagraj Express from the same platform at 10.10 pm. By the time the Shiv Ganga Express left, thousands of passengers could not make it on the crowded train and that’s when they found out that a special train would leave for Prayagraj from platform 16.

This sparked a frenzy and, the report said, the big mass of people began trying to make its way from platform 12 to 16 to board the special train using foot overbridges two and three. In addition to the usual rush, a crowd of people was already heading for platform 14 for the two trains to Prayagraj and the overflow from platform 12 joined this throng. This, the report said, led to the stampede. 

The report mentions that when the crowd began to swell to a point that the situation seemed to be headed out of control, the Assistant Security Commissioner of the RPF asked the station manager not to issue any more tickets, but thousands were already on the platforms and foot overbridges by then. A call was also made for all on-duty and off-duty staff to reach the platform and foot overbridges and the station director was asked to order the special train to Prayagraj to leave as soon as it was full. 

It also notes a statement from one of the injured women that while the stampede began at 9.15 pm, the first call to the fire brigade was made 40 minutes later, at 9.55 pm.

Authorities’ Take

A spokesperson for the Railway Board said more information is being gathered.

“A committee has been formed to investigate the matter through which information will be obtained from all the officers and inspectors posted at the station, after which the committee will submit the report to the zonal railway,” the spokesperson said. 

On Monday, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had ruled out any conspiracy behind the stampede at the New Delhi station and emphasised that there was no extraordinary rush either.

“No conspiracy looks at the moment (sic),” the minister was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. 

Stating that the information he had till then showed that there was no extraordinary rush at the New Delhi railway station, he also dismissed reports of a platform change announcement as a cause of the stampede. “The inquiry committee is looking into it deeply,” he said.

New Delhi:

“Meri ladki ke kila ghus gaya (a nail pierced my daughter’s head),” said a man, whose 7-year-old daughter was among the 18 who died during a stampede at the New Delhi Railway Station late on Saturday when surging crowds scrambled to catch trains to UP’s Prayagraj to visit Maha Kumbh, the world’s largest religious gathering.

“14 number platform se neeche utare, lekin bheed dekh ke wapas aane lage, maine kaha bheed jyada hai, chalo ghar chalte hain, bachho ko leke nahi jaate, chote chote bacche hain kya karenge, sone ko bhi nahi hai (We got down from platform number 14, but seeing the crowd we started coming back. I said there is too much crowd, let’s go home, we should not take the children along, what will we do with the little ones. They don’t even have anything to sleep on,” Opil Singh, who had a confirmed ticket and was headed to Maha Kumbh with his family, told NDTV. Follow New Delhi Railway Station Stampede LIVE UPDATES here

The Kumbh Mela attracts tens of millions of devotees every 12 years to the city of Prayagraj. The rush at the train station in New Delhi appeared to break out Saturday as crowds struggled to board trains for the ongoing event, which will end on February 26.

“Jaise upar chadne lage, 6 jeena bache the, beech main meri beti phas gayi. Upar se jaise 5,000-6,000 hazaar aadmi neeche aane lage na toh log ek ke upar ek girte chale gaye, logon ko sambhalne ka mauka nahi mila. Meri ladki ke kila ghus gaya…khoon andar jam gaya, poora kala pad gaya (We started climbing up, there were just six more steps left when my daughter got stuck in the middle. Around 5,000-6,000 people began coming down from above. People started falling over each other. A nail pierced my daughter’s head,” said Mr Singh, a native of Unnao in UP, putting his finger to his head, enacting what happened, as words failed him.

Seven-year-old Riya enjoying herself at a wedding (File)

Northern Railway’s chief public relations officer (CPRO) Himanshu Upadhyay said at the time of the incident, the Patna-bound Magadh Express was standing at platform number 14 and the New Delhi-Jammu Uttar Sampark Kranti Express was stationed at platform number 15.

The stampede occurred on foot-overbridges connecting platforms 14 and 15 at New Delhi railway station when some passengers slipped while descending, causing panic and a deadly crush, a senior railway official said.

“Meri itni achhi beti thi (I had such a good daughter),” said the 35-year-old, fighting back tears. He then proceeded to show a picture of his daughter, Riya, with him on his mobile, the cracks and scratches visible on its glass screen.

The seven-year-old Riya

Asked if he received any help from the authorities, Mr Singh, who works as a labourer in Delhi, said there was just one policeman who kept blowing into his whistle.

“Beti jab mili na toh koi ambulance nahi thi, hum auto main leke bhage. Do coolie the, unhone 100, 100 rupaye madad kiya, meri jeb se mobile, paise sab nikal liye kisi ne (“When I found my daughter, there was no ambulance, we went in an auto. There were two coolies, they helped me with Rs 100 each. Someone took away my mobile and all the money from my pocket,” said Mr Singh.

As soon as the man reached the hospital, the doctors declared the girl dead on arrival.

“Aap thodi der pehle aaye hote (If only you could have come a little sooner),” Mr Singh said quoting what a doctor at the Kalawati Hospital told him.

When told that the Railways has announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh for the families who have lost a loved one, Mr Singh said, “10 lakh se meri beti toh nahi aa sakti (Rs 10 lakh won’t bring back my daughter).”

New Delhi:

A political row has erupted over Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena’s edited social media post over the stampede at the New Delhi Railway Station stampede which occurred on Saturday night and caused the deaths of 18 people, including five children, and left many others injured.

Initially, Mr Saxena’s post on X (formerly Twitter) acknowledged the “tragic loss of lives and injuries” due to the “disorder and stampede” at the station, offering his condolences to the victims’ families.

However, within minutes, he altered the statement, removing any mention of deaths and softening the language to describe the incident as merely “unfortunate.”

There has been an unfortunate incident at New Delhi Railway Station.
Have spoken to Chief Secretary & Police Commissioner and asked them to address the situation.

CS has been asked to deploy relief personnel.

Have instructed CS & CP to be at the site and take control of…

— LG Delhi (@LtGovDelhi) February 15, 2025

The revision immediately drew criticism from opposition parties, who accused Mr Saxena and the Centre of trying to downplay the disaster. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) called it an attempt to evade responsibility. 

“This is Delhi LG VK Saxena appointed by the Central Government. The BJP’s Central Government and he is responsible for the security of crores of people of Delhi. This tweet of his is proof of how expert he is in running away from his responsibility. After the tragic incident at New Delhi Railway Station, he first accepted in his tweet that there was a stampede and that passengers had died,” the AAP said in a statement. 

ये केंद्र सरकार द्वारा नियुक्त दिल्ली के LG वीके सक्सेना हैं। BJP की केंद्र सरकार और इनके ऊपर दिल्ली के करोड़ों लोगों के सुरक्षा आदि की जिम्मेदारी है। अपनी जिम्मेदारी से भागने में ये कितने माहिर हैं, इसका सबूत इनका यह ट्वीट है।

नई दिल्ली रेलवे स्टेशन पर हुई दुखद घटना के बाद… pic.twitter.com/D3RjKjj8yL

— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) February 16, 2025

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi also weighed in, sharing screenshots of Mr Saxena’s original and edited tweets alongside posts from railway officials, questioning the lack of coordination between authorities.

The stampede broke out around 9:55 pm on Saturday night as thousands of passengers crowded platforms 12, 13, and 14, many attempting to board trains to Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj for the Maha Kumbh.  Security personnel struggled to control the surge as passengers tripped and fell, leading to a deadly crush. 

The stampede resulted in the deaths of 18 people, including 11 women and four children – two of whom were under the age of 10. Fifteen others sustained injuries and are undergoing treatment at Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Hospital.

The Delhi Police have launched an official investigation into the incident. They are reviewing CCTV footage from the station and analysing public announcements made at the time.

New Delhi:

At least 18 people, mostly women and children, died and dozens were injured in a stampede at New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday night. Among the victims were nine people from Bihar, eight from Delhi and one from Haryana.

Full list:

Children:

Riya Singh, 7, daughter of Opil Singh, resident of Sagarpur, Delhi
Pooja Kumar, 8, daughter of Raj Kumar Manjhi, resident of Nawada, Bihar
Neeraj, 12, son of Indrajit Paswan resident of Vaishali, Bihar
Suruchi, 11, daughter of Manoj Shah, resident of Muzaffarpur, Bihar
Vijay Sah, 15, son of Ram Sarup Sah, resident of Samastipur, Bihar

Women:

Baby Kumari, 24, daughter of Prabhu Sah, resident of Bijwasan, Delhi
Sangeeta Malik, 34, wife of Mohit Malik, resident of Bhiwani, Haryana
Poonam, 34, wife of Virendra Singh, resident of Mahavir Enclave, Delhi
Lalita Devi, 35, wife of Santosh, resident of Parana, Bihar
Poonam Devi, 40, wife of Meghnath, resident of Saran, Bihar
Mamta Jha, 40, wife of Vipin Jha, resident of Nangloi, Delhi
Krishna Devi, 40, wife of Vijay Shah, resident of Samastipur, Bihar
Shanti Devi, 40, wife of Raj Kumar Manjhi, resident of Nawada, Bihar
Pinky Devi, 41, wife of Upendra Sharma, resident of Sangam Vihar, Delhi
Sheela Devi, 50, wife of Umesh Giri, resident of Sarita Vihar, Delhi
Aha Devi, 79, wife of Ravindi Nath, resident of Buxar, Bihar

Men:

Vyom, 25, son of Dharamvir, resident of Bawana, Delhi
Manoj, 47, son of Panchdev Kushwaha, resident of Nangloi, Delhi

Injured people were undergoing treatment at the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) Hospital and Lady Hardinge Hospital.

The LNJP hospital has released helpline numbers: +919873617028 and 011-23501207.

A financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh has been announced for the victims’ families, Rs 2.5 lakh for those severely injured, and Rs 1 lakh for minor injuries.

Stampede At New Delhi Railway Station

The stampede at the New Delhi Railway Station took place when hundreds of passengers were waiting to board trains for Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj to attend the ongoing Maha Kumbh.

A senior railway official said the incident occurred after some passengers slipped and fell on others while coming down from a footover bridge.

President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have grieved the deaths.

“Deeply anguished to know about the loss of lives in a stampede at New Delhi Railway station. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and pray for a speedy recovery of those injured,” President Murmu said in a post on X.

PM Modi said he was “distressed” by the stampede at the New Delhi Railway Station.

“My thoughts are with all those who have lost their loved ones. I pray that the injured have a speedy recovery. The authorities are assisting all those who have been affected by this stampede,” he said.

New Delhi:

Hours after a devastating stampede at the New Delhi Railway Station that led to 18 deaths and left several others injured last night, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra attacked the Centre and the Railways, accusing them of negligence and failure to manage the crisis. 

“The news of several people dying and many getting injured due to the stampede at New Delhi Railway Station is extremely sad and distressing. I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved families and hope for the speedy recovery of the injured,” Mr Gandhi said.

He blamed the government and the railway administration for failing to anticipate the crowd surge, particularly given the ongoing Maha Kumbh in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj.

नई दिल्ली रेलवे स्टेशन पर भगदड़ मचने से कई लोगों की मृत्यु और कईयों के घायल होने की ख़बर अत्यंत दुखद और व्यथित करने वाली है।

शोकाकुल परिवारों के प्रति अपनी गहरी संवेदनाएं व्यक्त करता हूं और घायलों के शीघ्र स्वस्थ होने की आशा करता हूं।

यह घटना एक बार फिर रेलवे की नाकामी और सरकार…

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) February 16, 2025

“This incident once again highlights the failure of the Railways and the insensitivity of the government. Considering the large number of devotees going to Prayagraj, better arrangements should have been made at the station. The government and administration should ensure that no one has to lose their life due to mismanagement and negligence,” Mr Gandhi added.

READ | “No One Was Listening”: Air Force Official Recounts Delhi Stampede Horror

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra echoed her brother’s concerns, calling the loss of lives “extremely sad.”

“The news of the death of many people including women and children in the stampede due to crowd at New Delhi Railway Station is extremely sad. May God grant peace to the departed souls. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured,” she said.

नई दिल्ली रेलवे स्टेशन पर भीड़ की वजह से मची भगदड़ में महिलाओं और बच्चों समेत कई लोगों की मृत्यु का समाचार अत्यंत दुखद है।

ईश्वर दिवंगत आत्माओं को शांति प्रदान करें। शोक-संतप्त परिजनों के प्रति मेरी गहरी संवेदनाएं। घायलों के शीघ्र स्वस्थ होने की कामना करती हूं।

— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) February 16, 2025

Party leader KC Venugopal went further, calling the stampede a “massive calamity” and raised questions about the Centre’s handling of the situation. 

READ | “My Sister Was Dead When We Found Her”: Chilling Tales From Delhi Stampede

“This kind of a disaster taking place in the national capital, under the direct watch of the Central Government, shows that the government is utterly incompetent and is only capable of PR, not actual management. The Government has again tried to downplay the situation. When will we know the exact figures of the dead and injured? Why were crowd control measures not in place? Why did the railways not run special trains when they knew this crowd was to be anticipated in light of the Mahakumbh? Mr Venugopal asked. 

The stampede at New Delhi Railway Station is shocking and deeply tragic. The visuals that have come out are scary, and point to a massive calamity. I convey my deepest condolences to the families of the innocent victims, and pray for the speedy recovery of the injured.

This kind…

— K C Venugopal (@kcvenugopalmp) February 16, 2025

Former Railways Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav called for the resignation of Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.

What We Know So Far

The stampede happened around 9:55 PM on Saturday night on platform numbers 14 and 15 of the New Delhi Railway Station. The crowd consisted mostly of passengers bound for Prayagraj, where the Maha Kumbh is currently taking place.

The stampede resulted in the deaths of 18 people, including 11 women and four children – two of whom were under the age of 10. Fifteen others sustained injuries and are undergoing treatment at Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Hospital.

The Delhi Police have launched an official investigation into the incident. They are reviewing CCTV footage from the station and analysing public announcements made at the time.

Eyewitness Accounts

Passengers present at the scene described horrifying moments of chaos.

A survivor, Dharmendra Singh, said he was travelling with his family when the stampede broke out.

“I was going to Prayagraj but many trains were running late or were cancelled. The station was overcrowded. There were far more people than I have ever seen at this station. In front of me, six or seven women were taken away on stretchers,” Mr Singh said, as quoted by news agency PTI.

Another passenger, Pramod Chaurasia, described the intensity of the crowd surge.

“I had a sleeper-class ticket for Purushottam Express, but even those with confirmed tickets could not board the train. One of my friends and a female passenger got stuck in the crowd. There was too much pushing and jostling. We managed to stay safe by waiting outside with our children.”

One of the victims’ relatives broke down as he described losing his mother in the crush.

“We were travelling to our home in Chhapra, Bihar, in a group, but my mother died in the chaos. People were pushing each other. The doctor has confirmed to us that my mother has died,” the relative said. 

Government Response

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences over the tragedy in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

“Distressed by the stampede at New Delhi Railway Station. My thoughts are with all those who have lost their loved ones. I pray that the injured have a speedy recovery. The authorities are assisting all those who have been affected by this stampede.”

Distressed by the stampede at New Delhi Railway Station. My thoughts are with all those who have lost their loved ones. I pray that the injured have a speedy recovery. The authorities are assisting all those who have been affected by this stampede.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 15, 2025

“Deeply anguished to know about the loss of lives in a stampede at New Delhi railway station. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and pray for speedy recovery of those injured,” President Droupadi Murmu said in a post on X.

Deeply anguished to know about the loss of lives in a stampede at New Delhi Railway station. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and pray for speedy recovery of those injured.

— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) February 16, 2025

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw also expressed his grief at the deaths

“Deeply saddened by the unfortunate stampede that occurred at New Delhi Railway Station. My prayers are with all those who have lost their loved ones. The entire team is working to assist all those who have been affected by this tragic incident,” he said. 

Deeply saddened by the unfortunate stampede that occurred at New Delhi Railway Station. My prayers are with all those who have lost their loved ones. The entire team is working to assist all those who have been affected by this tragic incident.

— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) February 15, 2025

The Railways has announced financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh for the victims’ families, Rs 2.5 lakh for those severely injured, and Rs 1 lakh for those who suffered minor injuries. 

New Delhi:

Multiple videos have emerged showing crowds pouring over each other at the New Delhi Railway Station before a stampede killed at least 18 people and injured dozens on Saturday night. The rush at the station broke out as crowds struggled to board trains for Prayagraj’s Maha Kumbh, which has so far attracted more than 50 crore devotees.

The videos show passengers pushing each other on the platforms to board the trains. Some men were also seen entering the trains through windows.

The stampede at the NDLS, which broke out around 10 pm, was preceded by a swell in the crowd of passengers waiting to board trains for Prayagraj on platform numbers 14 and 15.

“People were pushing each other,” a man whose mother died in the stampede told reporters.

Another passenger said the station was “overcrowded”.

“I was going to Prayagraj but many trains were running late or were cancelled. The station was overcrowded. There were far more people than I have ever seen at this station,” he said.

What Led To New Delhi Railway Station Stampede

An official said platform number 14 was very crowded when the Prayagraj Express train was waiting there for its departure. He said two other trains –  Swatantra Senani Express and Bhubaneshwar Rajdhani Express –  were delayed and the passengers of these trains were also present on platform numbers 12, 13 and 14.

“As per CMI (Commercial-cum-Ticket Inspector), every hour 1,500 general tickets were sold by railways due to which the station got overcrowded and became uncontrollable. There was a stampede at platform no 14 and near escalator near platform no 16,” he said.

President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have grieved the deaths.

“Deeply anguished to know about the loss of lives in a stampede at New Delhi Railway station. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and pray for a speedy recovery of those injured,” President Murmu said in a post on X.

PM Modi said he was “distressed” by the stampede at the New Delhi Railway Station.

“My thoughts are with all those who have lost their loved ones. I pray that the injured have a speedy recovery. The authorities are assisting all those who have been affected by this stampede,” he said.

New Delhi:

A stampede occurred at New Delhi Railway Station, resulting in the loss of 15 lives on Saturday. The incident happened around 10 pm when thousands of devotees were heading to Prayagraj for the Maha Kumbh 2025 festival, causing severe overcrowding at the station.

An eyewitness, an Indian Air Force (IAF) sergeant on Sunday recounted that despite announcements and efforts to convince people to avoid gathering in large numbers, the crowd remained unmanageable. He said the administration attempted to control the crowd, but people didn’t listen.

Speaking to the news agency ANI, Ajit said, “We have a tri-service office at the railway station. When I was returning after my duty, I couldn’t go as there was a huge crowd… I tried to convince people and also made announcements appealing to people to avoid gathering on the platform in large numbers. The administration was working hard to prevent any mishap, but no one was listening… I also helped the injured people with the help of one of my friends.”

Another eyewitness recounted the horror, saying that the crowd was beyond the limit.

“The crowd was beyond the limit, people were gathered at the (foot over) bridge… Such a huge crowd wasn’t expected. I have never seen such a massive crowd at the railway station, even during the festivals. People from the administration and even NDRF personnel were there, but when the crowd exceeded the limit, it wasn’t possible to control them,” he said.

One of the victim’s brothers at the LNJP hospital, who lost his sister in the stampede, said, “We were 12 people going to Maha Kumbh. We hadn’t even reached the platform but were at the stairs… My family, including my sister, were stuck in the crowd. We found her after half an hour, and by the time she was dead.”

Another eyewitness described the chaos, stating that the crowd came from both sides after an announcement about a train platform change, leading to the stampede.

“There was no one to control the crowd… It was announced that the train coming on platform number 12 would come on platform number 16. So the crowd came from both sides and a stampede occurred…some people were taken to the hospital…,” he said.

Delays in train departures and the sale of around 1,500 general tickets exacerbated the situation and contributed to the overwhelming crowd.

Among the affected passengers, Pappu, a resident of Bihar’s Patna, shared his grief, saying, “My mother died in the stampede. We were on our way home.”

NDRF Commandant Daulat Ram Chaudhary confirmed that the situation was now under control. “…The situation is under control now. The injured have been evacuated…We received information about a stampede at platform no. 14 at the station… We are carrying out the rescue operations…”

DCP Railway KPS Malhotra stated that while the authorities had anticipated a large crowd, the incident unfolded within moments.

“We expected the crowd, but it all happened in a fraction of time, and hence this situation occurred. The fact-finding will be done by the Railways… After inquiry, we will get to know the reason behind the incident,” he told ANI.

Meanwhile, the Railway Board, on Sunday, informed that a two-member high-level committee had been formed to investigate the matter and determine the cause of the stampede at New Delhi railway station.

“A two-member high-level committee has been formed to investigate the matter… The situation is under control, and the passengers have been sent by special train… Train movement at the railway station is normal now,” Dilip Kumar, Executive Director of Information & Publicity (ED/IP), Railway Board.

According to Mr Kumar, the station was experiencing an unusually high volume of passengers, prompting the railways to operate four additional special trains to manage the crowd.

To regain control of the situation, entry to the railway station was temporarily blocked.

“The number of passengers was relatively very high today at the New Delhi railway station, and so we ran four more special trains. We received information that a few people fainted – they have been admitted to a local hospital. We blocked entry to the railway station for a while, but the situation is under control now,” added Mr Kumar.

According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Railway, KPS Malhotra, the incident occurred when a large number of passengers gathered on platform no. 14, where the Prayagraj Express was stationed. Additionally, delays in the departures of Swatantrata Senani Express and Bhubaneshwar Rajdhani led to further congestion at platforms 12, 13, and 14.