New Delhi Railway Station Stampede Highlights: CCTV footage examined, eyewitness statements to be recorded, says Indian Railways probe panel

A day after a fatal stampede at New Delhi Railway Station claimed 18 lives, the station remained packed with passengers on Sunday. Thousands of commuters struggled to board trains amid the heavy rush. Despite additional measures being put in place, the influx of passengers, including many Maha Kumbh pilgrims traveling to Prayagraj, continued. The overwhelming number of travelers made it difficult for authorities to manage the situation. The stampede occurred around 10 pm on Saturday when a large crowd, confused by conflicting train announcements, rushed toward platform 16 through a narrow stairway.

Deputy Commissioner of Police for Railways, KPS Malhotra, announced on Sunday that special arrangements have been put in place for managing the heavy footfall of passengers, including additional deployments for regular trains. According to the news agency PTI, he also mentioned that rope barricading has been installed at the platform to control movement, assuring that the situation is under control.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday called for proper compensation for the victims of the stampede at New Delhi railway station, accusing the government of attempting to cover up the tragedy that resulted in 18 deaths and numerous injuries.

At a press conference, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, citing eyewitness accounts, claimed that the stampede was triggered by an announcement about a platform change. “It is being reported that an announcement was made about a train’s platform change from platform 12 to 14, which led to the stampede. Was the Railway authorities not aware that such an announcement could lead to chaos?” Singh questioned.

A two-member committee has been set up to investigate the stampede at New Delhi Railway Station and has begun reviewing CCTV footage and gathering evidence, according to an official from Indian Railways. Principal Chief Commercial Manager (Narsingh DeoPCCM), Northern Railway, said, "...The two -member committee formed by the Railways have started the investigation. We are trying to understand all the evidence. We have also seen CCTV footage...we will also take statements from eyewitnesses. After examining all kinds of evidence, an investigation report will be prepared and given to the administration."

AAP MP Raghav Chadha has accused Indian Railways of "mismanagement" and "negligence" following the stampede at New Delhi Railway Station, which resulted in 18 fatalities and numerous injuries. He further criticized the treatment of passengers, likening it to "potato sacks stuffed in trains."

This entire incident shows the level of mismanagement and negligence of the Indian Railways. On 11th February I had brought up the issue in Parliament. The condition of the passengers of our railways is like potato sacks stuffed in the trains. If by any chance a passenger gets to sit in the washroom of our trains, he considers himself lucky. This has become the situation all over the country... there is no crowd management... if such situations are occurring even during Mahakumbh, then how will a passenger feel safe?" he said.

Haryana Minister Anil Vij expressed his condolences on Sunday over the tragic stampede at New Delhi Railway Station, offering sympathy to the grieving families. "The incident is heartbreaking. I offer my deepest condolences to the bereaved families who have lost their loved ones. The government has ordered a probe into the matter, and the one who will be found guilty will be severely punished..," he said.

Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva and other senior party leaders have cancelled all political events for the day following the tragic stampede at New Delhi Railway Station, PTI reported.

Several BJP leaders, including national vice president and Delhi unit in-charge Baijayant Panda, MLA Kailash Gahlot and former Union minister Harsh Vardhan, expressed deep condolences over the loss of lives and wished a speedy recovery for the injured.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders on Sunday criticized the government over the stampede at New Delhi Railway Station, calling it a stark example of "gross mismanagement" and lack of crowd control measures.

AAP Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha expressed shock over the tragedy, recalling that he had raised concerns about railway station crowd management in Parliament on February 11, but his warnings were ignored. “This incident is a glaring example of administrative failure. Those responsible must be held accountable, and immediate reforms are needed to prevent such disasters,” he wrote on X.

Meanwhile, senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia took a swipe at the BJP, posting "AAPda Sarkar…" on X—a play on words referencing the BJP’s past jibe at AAP, branding the party as a "disaster" during the Delhi Assembly polls.

A two-member high-level committee has been established to investigate the cause of the stampede at New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday, which resulted in the loss of 18 lives.

The Railways announced that the committee comprises Narsingh Deo, Principal Chief Commercial Manager, Northern Railway, and Pankaj Gangwar, Principal Chief Security Commissioner, Northern Railway.

According to PTI, the committee has begun its inquiry and has directed authorities to secure all video and CCTV footage from the station to aid in the investigation.

A new video posted by ANI shows people walking on a bridge at New Delhi station today. A stampede broke out at around 10 PM yesterday, leaving 18 people dead and several others injured.

#watch | Delhi | Visuals from New Delhi Railway Station, where a stampede broke out at around 10 PM yesterday, leaving 18 people dead and several others injured. pic.twitter.com/oQF2cZoOVx

— ANI (@ANI) February 16, 2025

RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav blamed the Railway’s mismanagement for Saturday’s stampede at the New Delhi railway station, stating that the Railway Minister should take responsibility.

“The incident is very unfortunate, and I offer my condolences to the victims. This was a failure of the Railway’s management, which led to the loss of so many lives. The Railway Minister must take responsibility,” Lalu told ANI.

When asked about crowd management during the Kumbh, he dismissed the event outright, saying, “Kumbh ka kahan koi matlab hai. Faaltu hai Kumbh (Kumbh has no meaning. It’s useless).”

Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri questioned the authorities over the deadly stampede that killed 18 people in Delhi. He took to X to share a video of packed railway platform and captioned it, "What were all the CCTV cameras, railway police and management doing? Even they seem helpless. It’s time for the state, legislators, and judiciary to define how far religion can be imposed on the desperate, uneducated and poor, We the People’ of India. Is this dharma?"

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Chief Mayawati on Sunday blamed the 'negligence' of the Railways for the stampede at the New Delhi railway station that killed at least 18 people and left many others injured.

"It is very sad that due to the serious negligence of the railways, many people died and got injured in a stampede amidst the crowd gathered at New Delhi Railway Station to go to Prayagraj Maha Kumbh," Mayawati said in a post on X.

"My deepest condolences to the victims. The government should take action against the culprits and also provide full help to the victims," she added.

The stampede happened around 10 pm when thousands of devotees were heading to Prayagraj for the Maha Kumbh 2025 festival, causing severe overcrowding at the station.

Recalling the distressing scene, Balram, a porter, said, "We carried dead bodies on handcarts, the same ones we use for luggage. In my 15 years as a porter, I have never seen such a massive crowd."

Another porter described how there was a swell in crowd around 9:30 pm on Saturday when the Prayagraj-bound train was at the platform.

"People's shoes, slippers, and other belongings were scattered everywhere. We pulled out many children and elderly individuals from the chaos," he said. (ANI)

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed his condolences over the tragic stampede at New Delhi Railway Station, calling it "terrible news."

Taking to X, Sarma conveyed his grief and wished for the swift recovery of the injured. "I am extremely anguished by the terrible news from New Delhi Railway Station. On behalf of the people of Assam, we offer our deepest condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in the stampede. Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have been injured," he wrote.

Northern Railway's Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Himanshu Upadhyay stated that at the time of the incident, the Patna-bound Magadh Express was at platform 14, while the New Delhi-Jammu Uttar Sampark Kranti Express was stationed at platform 15.

Describing the cause of the stampede, he said, "A passenger coming towards platforms 14-15 slipped and fell on the stairs and many passengers standing behind him were hit, and this tragic incident took place.” “This is being investigated by a high-level committee," he added.

Among the 18 casualties in the stampede at New Delhi Railway Station, 11 were women and 4 were children, according to a list released by the Delhi Police. The tragedy claimed the lives of young victims aged 7, 8, 11, and 12, highlighting the devastating impact on families. Women and children made up the majority of those killed in the unfortunate incident.

A stampede at Prayagraj (then Allahabad) railway station during the 2013 Maha Kumbh on Mauni Amavasya claimed the lives of at aleast 36 pilgrims, mostly women. The tragedy occurred as 30 million devotees gathered on the festival’s busiest day.

The 2013 incident led to the resignation of state minister Azam Khan, who was then the Mela organising committee chief. While Khan insisted the stampede occurred outside the Mela area, he stepped down, taking moral responsibility for the disaster.

To manage the massive influx of pilgrims, the railways had operated 69 special trains in addition to the 112 routine services. However, the sheer crowd overwhelmed the system. Ambulances were unable to reach the site for nearly two hours, leaving the injured stranded. At the time, over 14,000 police personnel, paramilitary forces, and commandos had been deployed across the Mela area.

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has called for an independent, judicially-monitored SIT to investigate the New Delhi Railway Station stampede. Expressing his condolences on X, Owaisi wrote, "My deepest condolences to the loved ones of those who died in the New Delhi Railway Station stampede. This was an avoidable tragedy. The BJP government is trying to cover up what happened."

The Delhi Police on Sunday launched an investigation into the stampede at New Delhi Railway Station, which claimed at least 18 lives. Officials would analyse CCTV footage to piece together what led to the tragic chaos, PTI reported.

"Our primary focus is to identify the exact cause of the stampede," a police source told PTI. "We will review all available CCTV footage and examine the announcements made at the time."

Preliminary findings suggest that a wrong announcement about a platform change may have triggered confusion, contributing to the deadly stampede, the PTI report added.

An LNJP worker told ANI that injured and dead bodies were brought to the hospital from 10 pm onwards. "15 dead bodies and 10-12 injured were brought...There were three children among the dead," Geeta said.

#watch | New Delhi Railway Station Stampede | Delhi: Geeta, a worker at LNJP Hospital, says, "... Injured and dead bodies were brought here to the hospital from 10 pm onwards. 15 dead bodies and 10-12 injured were brought... There were three children among the dead..." pic.twitter.com/IRLVmQKcn6

— ANI (@ANI) February 16, 2025

However, in a now deleted tweet, ANI posted the first statement of CPRO Northern Railways at 11 pm (Saturday) which dismissed the stampede as "only a rumor" and said two special trains for Prayagraj were planned.

The tweet (screenshot attached) is being deleted as it was the first statement provided by the CPRO. Updated information has been tweeted when accurate information came in. pic.twitter.com/vjXhsWCmrq

— ANI (@ANI) February 16, 2025

Around 10 PM, as passengers waited for their trains, chaos erupted at Platform 14, where the Prayagraj Express, bound for the Maha Kumbh, was stationed. A sudden surge of people led to overcrowding, creating a stampede-like situation.

Footage from the scene captured a massive crowd, with many passengers forcing their way into the already-packed train. Among them were small children perched on their parents’ laps as they struggled to board.

According to DCP Railway KPS Malhotra, the congestion was worsened by the delays of Swatantrata Senani Express and Bhubaneshwar Rajdhani, which left passengers stranded across Platforms 12, 13, and 14.

"Approximately 1,500 general tickets were sold, leading to an uncontrollable crowd," Malhotra explained. "This caused heavy congestion near Platform 14 and the escalator."

Officials added that the sheer volume of people resulted in breathlessness complaints, making the situation even more dire.

Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi said, "The news of several people dying and many getting injured due to the stampede at New Delhi Railway Station is extremely sad and distressing... 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..."

Delhi Police released names of 18 deceased in the stampede:

1.⁠ ⁠Aaha Devi w/o Ravindee nath r/o Buxure Bihar Age 79 years

2.⁠ ⁠Pinky Devi w/o Upender Sharma r/o Sangam Vihar Delhi age 41 years

3.⁠ ⁠Sheela Devi w/o Umesh Giri r/o Sarita Vihar delhi age 50 years

4.⁠ ⁠Vyom s/o Dharamveer r/o Bawana Delhi age 25 years

5.⁠ ⁠Poonam Devi w/o Megh Nath r/o Saran Bihar age 40 years

6.⁠ ⁠Lalita Devi w/o santosh r/o Parna Bihar Age 35 years

7.⁠ ⁠Suruchi D/o Manoj shah r/o Muzaffarpur Bihar age 11 years

8.⁠ ⁠Krishna Devi w/o Vijay shah r/o Samastipur Bihar age 40 years

9.⁠ ⁠Vijay sah s/o Ram Sarup sah r/o Samastipur Bihar age 15 years

10.⁠ ⁠Neeraj s/o Inderjeet paswan r/o Vaishali Bihar age 12 years

11.⁠ ⁠Shanti Devi w/o Raj Kumar Manjhi r/o Nawada Bihar age 40 years

12.⁠ ⁠Pooja Kumar D/o Raj Kumar manjhi r/o Nawada Bihar age 8 years

13.⁠ ⁠Sangeeta Malik w/o Mohit Malik r/o Bhiwani Haryana age 34 years

14.⁠ ⁠Poonam W/o Virender Singh r/o Mahavir enclave age 34 years

15.⁠ ⁠Mamta Jha w/o Vipin Jha r/o Nangloi Delhi age 40 years

16.⁠ ⁠Riya Singh d/o Opil Singh r/o sagarpur delhi age 7 years

17.⁠ ⁠Baby Kumari d/o Prabhu sah r/o bijwasan Delhi age 24 years

18.⁠ ⁠Manoj s/o Panchdev Kushwaha r/o Nangloi Delhi age 47 years

A coolie, who has been working at the station since 1981, described the chaos, saying, "In all my years as a coolie, I have never seen a crowd like this before."

He explained that the Prayagraj Special was originally scheduled to depart from Platform 12, but at the last minute, it was shifted to Platform 16. As a result, passengers waiting at Platform 12 and those gathered outside rushed simultaneously to the new platform, leading to a stampede on the escalator and stairs.

"People started colliding and falling. Several coolies tried to stop the crowd, but it was uncontrollable," he recalled. "We pulled out at least 15 bodies and loaded them into an ambulance. The platform was littered with shoes and clothes."

He added that police, fire tenders and ambulances were called in to manage the situation and transport the injured to the hospital.

#watch | Stampede at New Delhi railway station | A porter (coolie) at the railway station says "I have been working as a coolie since 1981, but I never saw a crowd like this before. Prayagraj Special was supposed to leave from platform number 12, but it was shifted to platform… pic.twitter.com/cn2S7RjsdO

— ANI (@ANI) February 16, 2025

The Indian Railways has announced Rs 10 lakh compensation to the families of the people who lost their lives in the New Delhi Railway Station stampede on Saturday. Ministry of Railways also announced Rs 2.5 lakh compensation to the seriously injured and Rs 1 lakh to the minor injured.

The deputy commissioner of police (railway) said, "As per CMI, railways sold 1,500 general tickets every hour, which caused the station to become overcrowded and uncontrollable. There was a stampede at platform no. 14 and near the escalator near platform no. 16."

When asked about the cause of the stampede, DCP Railway KPS Malhotra explained, "Two trains were delayed, and in addition, an increased number of tickets were purchased for Prayagraj. This led to overcrowding at the platforms, contributing to the unfortunate incident."

After assessing the situation at the railway station, DCP Railway KPS Malhotra stated, "The matter is under investigation, and an inquest is underway. We will first confirm the death toll with the hospital before providing further details."

An eyewitness, Ravi says, "The stampede broke out around 9:30 pm... When people on platform number 13 saw trains on platforms 14 and 15 - they moved towards these platforms. The platforms of the trains were not changed, but the crowd was so huge that it could not be controlled...."

#watch | Stampede at New Delhi Railway Station | An eyewitness, Ravi says, "The stampede broke out around 9:30 pm... When people on platform number 13 saw trains on platforms 14 and 15 - they moved towards these platforms. The platforms of the trains were not changed, but the… pic.twitter.com/hPO61B58Lx

— ANI (@ANI) February 16, 2025