A devastating stampede at New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday night claimed the lives of at least 18 people as thousands of devotees rushed to board trains to Prayagraj for the Maha Kumbh 2025 festival. The incident occurred around 10 PM on platform number 14 due to severe overcrowding, leading to chaos on the platforms and foot overbridges.
The deceased were 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, Poonam both aged 34, Mamta Jha, 40, Riya Singh, 7, Baby Kumari, 24, and Manoj, 47.
Eyewitnesses describe the horror
Eyewitnesses recounted the terrifying moments of the stampede. Sanjay, a relative of one of the victims, described how his family got stuck in the crowd while attempting to reach the platform. “We found my sister after half an hour, but by then, she was already dead,” he said in distress.
Another eyewitness mentioned that the crowd far exceeded expectations, making it impossible for the administration and NDRF personnel to control the situation. “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.”
No one to control the crowd
An IAF sergeant, Ajit, who was present at the scene, revealed that despite repeated announcements urging people to avoid large gatherings, the crowd remained unmanageable. “The administration tried to prevent any mishap, but no one was listening. I also assisted the injured with a friend,” he told ANI.
People present at the scene claimed that the police were absent when the situation needed to be controlled. “There was no one to help initially. The police arrived an hour later. We had our tickets reserved in AC three-tier but couldn’t board the train due to the mishap and overcrowding. We are returning home now.”
Overcrowding and delays
The stampede was reportedly triggered by an announcement regarding a last-minute train platform change. “The train was initially scheduled to arrive at platform 12 but was later shifted to platform 16. People rushed from both sides, leading to the tragic incident,” an eyewitness explained. Delays in train departures and the sale of approximately 1,500 general tickets further exacerbated the situation.
NDRF Commandant Daulat Ram Chaudhary said that rescue operations were swiftly carried out and the situation was now under control. “The injured have been evacuated, and train movement at the station has returned to normal,” he added.
DCP Railway KPS Malhotra acknowledged that while authorities had anticipated a large crowd, the stampede occurred too quickly to be effectively managed. “Fact-finding will be conducted by the Railways, and a detailed inquiry will reveal the exact cause of the tragedy,” he told ANI.