A chaotic rush, a blocked staircase, and a sea of people struggling for space—New Delhi Railway Station turned into a nightmare on Saturday night. Passengers gasped for air as they found themselves trapped near escalators and packed platforms. In the panic, people ran, stumbled, and fell over each other, desperately trying to reach their trains bound for the Maha Kumbh. But for at least 18 of them, the journey never began.
They lost their lives in the crushing crowd, while several others were left injured, caught in a tragedy they never saw coming. According to reports, a massive crowd gathered on platforms 14, 15, and 16 to board trains heading to Prayagraj for the Maha Kumbh. However, the overwhelming rush led to a stampede-like situation.
A porter who has worked at the station for 44 years recounted the tragic incident. He described the crowd as so dense that those who fell in the chaos were unable to get back up.
Speaking to ANI, Sugan Lal Meena, a porter at the railway station, said, “I have been working here since 1981, but I have never seen such a crowd before. The Prayagraj Special train was originally scheduled to depart from platform 12 but was later moved to platform 16. As the passengers waiting on platform 12 and those arriving from outside rushed to platform 16, people started colliding, falling on the escalators and stairs. The situation was so dire that those who fell simply couldn’t get back up.”
I Picked Up 15 Bodies
He further said, “Many people gathered to control the crowd. We picked up at least 15 bodies and placed them in the ambulance. The platform was strewn with shoes and clothes. We immediately called the police and fire department. Within moments, three to four ambulances arrived, and the injured were rushed to the hospital.”
He added that all the porters at the railway station worked together to help the victims.
Compensation Announced For The Victims’ Kin
Nine of the deceased were from Bihar, eight from Delhi, and one from Haryana. The government has announced compensation for the victims.
Eyewitnesses at the station reported that the tragedy unfolded between 8:00 PM and 8:30 PM. The chaos began when the railway administration announced a platform change for a train, triggering a frantic rush as passengers scrambled from one platform to another. In the ensuing panic, a stampede broke out. Reports suggest that a large number of those affected were traveling with general tickets.
Who All Reached Hospital?
Chief Secretary Dharmendra Singh, LG VK Saxena, and BJP State President Virendra Sachdeva visited Lok Nayak Hospital to meet the injured and assess the arrangements.
Delhi’s Acting Chief Minister Atishi also arrived at the hospital to speak with the victims. Additionally, BJP MLA Rekha Gupta and Aam Aadmi Party MLA Ale Mohammad Iqbal were among the leaders who visited Lok Nayak Hospital to check on the injured.
