On the night of 15th February, at least 18 people lost their lives, and many others were injured in a devastating stampede at New Delhi Railway Station. The tragedy took place as thousands of devotees gathered to board trains to Prayagraj for the Maha Kumbh 2025. According to officials and eyewitnesses, delays in train departures and a platform change led to massive movement of the crowd at the station, resulting in the stampede. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed condolences to the families of the victims.
In a post on X, PM Modi said, “Distressed by the stampede at New Delhi Railway Station. My thoughts are with all those who have lost their loved ones. I pray that the injured have a speedy recovery. The authorities are assisting all those who have been affected by this stampede.”
Distressed by the stampede at New Delhi Railway Station. My thoughts are with all those who have lost their loved ones. I pray that the injured have a speedy recovery. The authorities are assisting all those who have been affected by this stampede.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 15, 2025
Eyewitness accounts describe chaos
Speaking to news agency ANI, an Indian Air Force (IAF) sergeant who was present at the scene stated that despite repeated announcements urging people not to gather in large numbers, the crowd remained uncontrollable. He said, “The administration was working hard to prevent a mishap, but no one was listening. I tried to convince people and helped the injured along with a friend.”
#WATCH | Stampede at New Delhi Railway station | A sergeant in the Indian Air Force (IAF) and eyewitness, Ajit says, "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… pic.twitter.com/dnUXlOstV7
— ANI (@ANI) February 15, 2025
Platform change announcement worsened the situation
According to one of the eyewitnesses, an announcement about a last-minute platform change further aggravated the situation. “A train scheduled for platform 12 was shifted to platform 16. The crowd surged from both sides, leading to the stampede,” he stated.
Train delays added to congestion
Speaking to the media, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Railway, KPS Malhotra, said that congestion at platforms 12, 13, and 14 worsened due to delays in train departures, including the Swatantrata Senani Express and Bhubaneswar Rajdhani. An investigation into the matter has been initiated by the Railway Ministry.
