Eyewitnesses Recount Saturday Night Chaos at New Delhi Railway Station After Stampede
Image Source: Hindustan Times
Scattered belongings, an unprecedented surge of people pushing and scrambling for space, and desperate cries for help—eyewitnesses recounted the terrifying moments as the death toll from the overnight stampede at New Delhi Railway Station rose to 18 on Sunday.
According to officials, confusion caused by a misannouncement regarding a platform change may have triggered the panic. Some eyewitnesses also supported this claim. As soon as the announcement was made, the crowd surged forward, pushing one another. Those who fell were trampled in the chaos, said Ravi Kumar, a vendor who has run a shop at the station for 12 years.
“The crowd was unlike anything seen before,” he added.
Northern Railway’s Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO), Himanshu Upadhyay, stated that at the time of the incident, the Patna-bound Magadh Express was on platform 14, while the New Delhi-Jammu Uttar Sampark Kranti Express was on platform 15. A massive crowd had gathered to board trains to Prayagraj, where the Maha Kumbh is taking place.
“Some passengers descending from the footbridge towards platforms 14 and 15 slipped on the stairs and fell onto others, leading to the stampede,” the CPRO explained.
Kumar, recalling the harrowing scene, said, “The rush on platforms 12, 14, and 15 was overwhelming. All trains bound for Prayagraj were packed beyond capacity.”
“The Prayagraj Express was already stationed at one platform when an announcement was made for another train’s arrival. As soon as the announcement was made, people surged forward. The footbridge connecting the platforms is small, and in the rush, several people fell and were trampled,” he added.
Ved Prakash, a resident of Paharganj, had planned to travel to Prayagraj with his wife but changed his mind after witnessing the immense crowd.
“Even inside the train, there was no space to stand. I stepped out and chose to return home,” he said.
On Sunday, family members of the deceased gathered at LNJP Hospital to collect the body of Poonam Devi, who was heading to Bihar on Saturday night.
“There was an overwhelming crowd at the station, and her train was supposed to arrive at platform 12. But after an announcement, people started rushing, and those who fell were crushed,” a relative said.
Among the victims was a woman traveling with her family to Chhapra, Bihar. Her grieving son recalled the devastating loss. “We were traveling home in a large group, and my mother lost her life in the chaos. People were pushing each other, and she got caught in the rush,” he said.
Dharmendra Singh, another passenger, described the distressing scene: “I was going to Prayagraj, but many trains were delayed or canceled. The station was overcrowded—far beyond anything I have ever seen here. I saw six or seven women being carried away on stretchers right in front of me.”
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- Aryan Gulati is a dedicated media student based in Meerut with a wealth of experience in various newspapers and media houses. He has numerous published articles and specializes in political and crime news writing, demonstrating a strong commitment to impactful journalism.
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