New Delhi: Stampede at Railway Station Kills 18 People
A tragic stampede at New Delhi Railway Station on 15th February 2025 killed 18 people and injured many, caused by overcrowding, delayed trains, and poor crowd management.
A tragic stampede occurred at New Delhi Railway Station on 15th February 2025 between 9.30 pm and 10.15 pm on platform 14, resulting in 18 deaths and several severe injuries. The incident was caused by a combination of factors, including delayed trains, a large influx of passengers, and poor crowd management.
The chaos began when passengers, many of whom were heading to Prayagraj for the Mahakumbh, crowded the station. Two major trains, the Swatantra Senani Express and the Delhi-Bhubaneswar Rajdhani Express, were delayed, leading to a larger crowd at platforms 12, 13, and 14.
Around 9.50 pm, an announcement for a special train to Prayagraj departing from platform 16 created further panic, causing passengers to rush towards the platform. The escalators and foot overbridge were already packed with people heading to other platforms, which led to the stampede. Eyewitnesses described the scene as chaotic, with many people trapped and struggling to escape.
Despite the urgency, passengers reported a lack of timely help from authorities. One passenger, trying to save his sister, performed CPR but couldn’t revive her, and had to cross railway tracks to reach a hospital due to the absence of immediate help.
The Delhi Police later confirmed the deaths of 18 people, including several children and elderly, with 15 more seriously injured. Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the stampede, with confusion from misinformation believed to be a contributing factor.
The Railway Ministry has promised to implement measures to prevent such incidents in the future. To ease the rush, Northern Railway is running four special trains for the devotees. The Indian Railway has also announced compensation: ?10 lakh each for the families of the deceased, ?7.5 lakh for the severely injured, and ?1 lakh for those with minor injuries.
Bihar CM Nitish Kumar has announced additional compensation of ?2 lakh for the families of deceased Bihar residents and ?50,000 for the injured.
The incident has raised serious concerns about crowd management and the adequacy of response by authorities during such crises.
In other Mahakumbh-related news, seven young men from Kamhariya village in Bihar took a unique journey to avoid busy roads. They traveled 550 kilometers along the Ganga River in a motorized boat, using Google Maps for navigation. After completing the 84-hour trip, they arrived in Prayagraj on 13th February 2025, took a holy dip, and returned the same day. The entire journey cost them ?20,000.
