New Delhi: A tragic stampede at New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday night claimed the lives of 18 people and left dozens injured, as chaos erupted on the foot overbridge connecting platforms. Eyewitnesses have come forward to describe the horrifying scenes, blaming a sudden railway announcement and poor crowd management for the disaster.
Eyewitness Accounts: A Night of Horror
Hiralal, a resident of Sangam Vihar and one of the survivors, recounted the events leading up to the stampede. “We were a group of seven heading to Prayagraj for the Mahakumbh. We had our tickets and were waiting on Platform 12 when an announcement declared that our train would arrive at Platform 16. Everyone, including us, rushed towards the foot overbridge to reach Platform 16,” he said.
Hiralal described how passengers from Platform 16 also began moving towards other platforms via the same foot overbridge, creating a deadly bottleneck. “The stampede started on the foot overbridge. People began falling over each other, and others climbed over them to save themselves. We barely managed to escape with our lives. Many lost their lives right there on the bridge, but no help arrived from the administration for a long time,” he added.
Another eyewitness, Dharmendra Singh, shared his experience. “I was travelling to Prayagraj, but several trains were delayed or cancelled. The station was overcrowded, and I’ve never seen such chaos here before. Right in front of me, six or seven women were carried away on stretchers,” he said.
Pramod Chaurasia, another passenger, recounted how even confirmed ticket holders couldn’t board their trains. “I had a sleeper class ticket for the Purushottam Express, but the crowd was so overwhelming that many of us couldn’t get on. My friend and a female passenger got stuck in the crowd. There was a lot of pushing and shoving. Thankfully, my children and I stayed safe by waiting outside,” he said.
Railway’s Response and Investigation
Railway authorities have not confirmed the announcement that allegedly triggered the stampede. However, eyewitnesses insist that mismanagement by railway officials was to blame. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Railways) KPS Malhotra acknowledged the crowd surge but emphasised that the situation escalated within seconds.
“We expected a crowd, but this happened in a matter of seconds. The Railways will investigate the incident, and after questioning responsible staff and officials, we will determine the exact cause,” Malhotra said. He also noted that the station had sold 1,500 general tickets per hour, contributing to the overwhelming crowd.
The Aftermath: A Call for Accountability
The stampede occurred near the escalators of Platforms 14 and 16, where passengers were caught in a deadly crush. Survivors and eyewitnesses have called for accountability, urging authorities to improve crowd management and ensure such tragedies are prevented in the future.
As investigations continue, the focus remains on understanding what went wrong and holding those responsible accountable. The incident has highlighted the need for better infrastructure and crowd control measures at one of India’s busiest railway stations, especially during peak travel periods and major events like the Mahakumbh.
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