A stampede occurred at New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday night, resulting in the loss of at least 18 people, including 11 women and four children, and more than a dozen injured .
The stampede was caused by sudden rush of passengers waiting to board trains to Prayagraj, where the Maha Kumbh is underway, on platform numbers 14 and 15 of the station. The chaotic situation developed around 8 pm on the two platforms of the station.
An eyewitness, an Indian Air Force (IAF) sergeant recounted that despite announcements and efforts to convince people to avoid gathering in large numbers, the crowd remained unmanageable. He said the administration attempted to control the crowd, but people didn't listen.
Speaking to the news agency ANI, Ajit said, "We have a tri-service office at the railway station. When I was returning after my duty, I couldn't go as there was a huge crowd... I tried to convince people and also made announcements appealing to people to avoid gathering on the platform in large numbers. The administration was working hard to prevent any mishap, but no one was listening... I also helped the injured people with the help of one of my friends."
Another eyewitness, Ravi said, "The stampede broke out around 9:30 pm... When people on platform number 13 saw trains on platforms 14 and 15 - they moved towards these platforms. The platforms of the trains were not changed, but the crowd was so huge that it could not be controlled...."
A porter (coolie) at the railway station said, as quoted by ANI, "I have been working as a coolie since 1981, but I never saw a crowd like this before. Prayagraj Special was supposed to leave from platform number 12, but it was shifted to platform number 16. When the crowd waiting at Platform 12 and the crowd waiting outside tried to reach Platform 16, people started colliding and fell on the escalator and stairs. Several collies gathered there to stop the crowd. We took at least 15 bodies and loaded them in an Ambulance. There were only shoes and clothes on the platform. When the crowd waiting at Platform 12 and the crowd from outside tried to reach Platform 16, people started colliding and fell on the escalator and stairs. We called police, fire tenders, and 3-4 ambulances reached there, and people were taken to the hospital..."
Chief Public Relations Officer of Northern Railway, Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyay said that the incident is being investigated by a high-level committee. "When this tragic incident took place yesterday, at that time, Magadh Express going towards Patna was standing on platform number 14 of New Delhi Railway Station and Uttar Sampark Kranti going towards Jammu was standing on platform number 15. During this, a passenger coming towards platforms 14-15 slipped and fell on the stairs, and many passengers standing behind him were hit, and this tragic incident took place. This is being investigated by a high-level committee", Shekhar said.