New Delhi Railway Station Stampede Highlights: At least 18 people are feared dead in a stampede at the New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday evening, officials said. According to the fire department, distress calls about a stampede on platforms 14 and 15 were received around 9:55 pm. Four fire tenders were rushed to the scene. The injured were taken to Lok Nayak Hospital. A final list of casualties is yet to be released.
Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told The Indian Express that the situation was “under control”. He stated that Delhi Police and Railway Protection Force (RPF) were on-site and that four special trains were arranged to manage the crowd. “The rush has reduced now. I am in the war room,” he added.
The Railways, in an official statement, described the incident as an “unprecedented rush” near platforms 13 and 14 at around 9:30 pm. It said some individuals fainted, triggering panic and causing a stampede-like situation. Authorities later eased congestion to restore order.
New Delhi Railway Station Stampede Highlights!
New Delhi Station Stampede Live: Man losses 5-yr-old daughter, father-in-law and mother-in-law in stampede
Manoj Shah, who tragically lost his daughter, father-in-law, and mother-in-law in the stampede, recalled the heartbreaking moment he received the news. “My brother-in-law Mukesh called me and said, ‘Bhagdad ho gayi, log ek dusre par chad gaye’ (There has been a stampede; people have trampled over each other),” he recounted.
Shah shared that his family members were on their way to Kumbh when the tragedy struck. His young daughter, who was among the victims, was a Class 5 student, he added.
New Delhi Station Stampede Live: ‘People didn’t listen to warnings’, recalls eyewitness
An eyewitness, an Indian Air Force (IAF) sergeant, recalled the chaos at New Delhi Railway Station on Sunday, stating that despite repeated announcements and efforts to disperse the crowd, the situation remained uncontrollable. He noted that the administration tried to manage the overwhelming rush, but people refused to heed warnings.
Speaking to ANI, the sergeant, identified as Ajit, described the scene: “We have a tri-service office at the railway station. While returning from duty, I found myself stuck as an enormous crowd had gathered. I tried to convince people and made several announcements urging them not to overcrowd the platform, but no one paid attention. The authorities were doing their best to prevent any mishap, yet the crowd remained unmanageable.”
Ajit further added that he, along with a friend, stepped in to assist injured passengers in the aftermath of the tragic stampede.
New Delhi Station Stampede Live: Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Gadkari express grief over loss of lives
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Sunday expressed sorrow over the stampede at New Delhi Railway Station that claimed multiple lives on Saturday.
Amit Shah spoke with Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena and the Delhi Police, directing them to provide all possible assistance to those affected. “My heartfelt condolences to the families of those who lost their lives. The injured are receiving the best possible treatment and I pray for their speedy recovery,” Shah wrote on X.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh called the incident “devastating”, expressing his grief over the tragic loss of lives. “I am deeply pained by the loss of lives due to the stampede. My thoughts are with the bereaved families in this hour of grief, and I pray for the swift recovery of the injured,” he posted.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari described the incident as “shocking” and extended his condolences. “Deeply saddened by the loss of lives at New Delhi Railway Station. My prayers are with the bereaved families, and I wish a speedy recovery to the injured,” he wrote on X.
New Delhi Station Stampede Live: Eyewitnesses describe what happened at the station
One of the passengers, Dharmendra Singh, said, “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.”
Another passenger, Pramod Chaurasia, said, “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.”
New Delhi Station Stampede Live: PM Modi condoles tragic incident
Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to X and wrote, “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.”
New Delhi Station Stampede Live: Two member committee formed to probe incident
Dilip Kumar, Executive Director of Information & Publicity at the Railway Board, announced that a two-member high-level committee has been set up to investigate the stampede at New Delhi railway station and determine its cause.
He explained that the station was witnessing an exceptionally high passenger influx, leading the railways to introduce four additional special trains to help manage the crowd.