Overcrowding at New Delhi Railway Station
Thousands of people crammed into the station on Saturday night, trying to board delayed trains, causing a dangerous overcrowding situation.
Victims of the New Delhi Station Stampede
Four of the victims were children, while 10 were women, according to a list released by officials.
Government Response to the Tragedy
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences in a post on X, stating his thoughts were “with all those who have lost their loved ones.”
Frequent Stampedes in India
Stampedes are common in India, particularly at religious events, festivals, and public spaces where overcrowding is frequent.
Connection to Kumbh Mela Crowd Crush
The tragedy comes weeks after 30 people lost their lives in a pre-dawn crush at Kumbh Mela, a religious festival in northern India, where millions of Hindus had gathered to bathe in the sacred river waters.
Eyewitness Accounts of the Station Stampede
Eyewitnesses reported a “huge crowd” at New Delhi Railway Station, where many people were traveling to and from Kumbh Mela, held in Prayagraj city, Uttar Pradesh. Hundreds were also waiting for other trains.
Officials confirmed that two trains had been delayed at the station, while a third train, bound for Prayagraj, was waiting to depart.
Ruby Devi, a traveler, said the crowd was so dense that she could not enter the station.
Umesh Giri, who lost his wife Shilam Devi in the stampede, described the crowd as “uncontrollable” as he attempted to board the Prayagraj Express.
Dharmendra Singh, another traveler, told India’s PTI news agency that he had “never seen such a large crowd at this station” before.
“In front of me, six or seven women were carried away on stretchers,” he said.
Authorities Investigate the Station Stampede
KPS Malhotra, deputy commissioner of police (railways), stated that authorities are investigating the causes of the stampede.
“This occurred due to the delay in two trains arriving, which resulted in more people gathering at the station,” he explained.
Political Criticism Over Crowd Management
Opposition leaders have criticized the government, calling the incident an administrative failure.
“Considering the large number of devotees traveling to Prayagraj, better crowd control measures should have been implemented at the station,” Rahul Gandhi, leader of the opposition in India’s parliament, posted on X.
For more details, visit the original report on BBC.
Read related insights on crowd management at Kenkou Land.
