The Delhi Police on Sunday revealed that confusion over train announcements and severe overcrowding led to the tragic stampede at New Delhi Railway Station, which claimed 18 lives, including five children. The chaos erupted late Saturday night as thousands of devotees attempted to board trains to Prayagraj for the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025.
According to the Delhi Police, the primary cause of the stampede was a misleading announcement regarding train arrivals. The announcement of the Prayagraj Special arriving at Platform 16 led to confusion because the Prayagraj Express was already at Platform 14. Many passengers, unable to reach their train at Platform 14, assumed their train was at Platform 16, triggering the stampede.
Adding to the chaos, four trains were scheduled to depart for Prayagraj, three of which were delayed, leading to an unprecedented crowd buildup.
नई दिल्ली रेलवे स्टेशन पर भगदड़ की दु:खद घटना:
— बेसिक शिक्षा सूचना केंद्र (@Info_4Education) February 15, 2025
बताया जा रहा है कि दिल्ली रेलवे स्टेशन की भगदड़ के बाद LNJP हॉस्पिटल में अभी तक 15 लाश पहुंची हैं। इसमें 3 बच्चे भी शामिल हैं, जबकि 10 घायलों का इलाज चल रहा है।#delhirailwaystation #NewDelhiRailwaystation #NewDelhi… pic.twitter.com/MgxX87o6vR
The incident occurred around 10 PM on Saturday when thousands of passengers flooded the platforms. At the time of the tragedy, the train placement at New Delhi Railway Station was as follows: Prayagraj Express at Platform 14, Magadh Express at Platform 12, Swatantrata Senani Express at Platform 13, and Bhubaneswar Rajdhani Express at Platform 15, which was delayed and passing via Kumbh.
Eyewitnesses described the crowd as never seen before, with many blaming poor crowd management and delayed response from authorities for the high number of casualties.
Following the tragedy, Delhi Police conducted a high-level meeting on Sunday to discuss the initial inquiry report and launched an inquest proceeding, led by a DCP-rank officer.
Meanwhile, the Indian Railways announced financial aid for the victims, offering ₹10 lakh for the families of the deceased, ₹2.5 lakh for those seriously injured, and ₹1 lakh for those with minor injuries.
As authorities continue their investigation, the incident raises serious concerns about railway crowd management during the Maha Kumbh Mela, which is expected to draw millions of pilgrims to Prayagraj in 2025.
