Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was “distressed” about the stampede at New Delhi Railway Station in which at least 15 people lost their lives. In his condolences note, he wished for a speedy recovery for the injured. He also gave reassurance to the public that authorities are actively helping those who are affected by the tragedy.
PM Modi took to X and wrote, ‘’Distressed by the stampede at the New Railway Station. My thoughts are with those who have lost their loved ones. I pray for the injured to have a speedy recovery. The authorities are aiding all of them who are affected by this stampede.’’
Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw has also conveyed his grief on the incident, he wrote on X, ‘’Deeply saddened by the unfortunate stampede that has occurred at New Delhi Railway Station. My prayers are with all those who have lost their loved ones. The whole team is working to assist all those who have been impacted by this tragic incident.’’
Railway authorities reaction
The Executive Director of Information & Publicity, Railway Board, Dilip Kumar has told ANI that the station witnessed an unusually high rush of passengers on Saturday. To manage the influx, four additional special trains were announced. ‘’We have got the information that a few people have lost their consciousness and they have been admitted to a local hospital,’’ Kumar confirmed.
He further shared an update on the current situation. Authorities have taken immediate measures to control the situation by temporarily halting entry into the station. The incident will be probed by a high-level two-member committee that has been appointed for the same. ‘’The situation is under control and passengers have been shifted on special trains. Trains operations at the station are normal,’’ Kumar mentioned.
Reason for the stampede
The stampede occurred on Saturday, resulting in around 15 people injured. As part of the emergency response, the Delhi Fire Service has dispatched four fire tenders. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Railway) KPS Malhotra has elaborated on how the incident unfolded to ANI. He said that the chaos started on platform 14, where the Prayagraj Express was stationed. Another congestion took place at platforms 12 and 13 as two trains, the Bhubaneswar Rajdhani and the Swatantrata Senani Express were delayed.
As per reports, around 1,500 general tickets were sold, leading to intense overcrowding, particularly on platform 14 and the escalator at platform 1. Currently, authorities are assessing the situation, reinstating normal operations of railway operations, and ensuring the safety of the passengers.
(With inputs from ANI)