How a special train announcement led to stampede at New Delhi Station...
"There was a huge crowd of passengers on platform number 14 of New Delhi Railway Station, who were waiting to board the train going to Prayagraj. At the same time, a large number of passengers had gathered on platform number 13 to board the Swatantrata Senani Express going from New Delhi to Darbhanga.
This train was late and was rescheduled to leave at midnight, due to which the passengers remained on the platform as platform numbers 14 and 13 are adjacent to each other and the crowd was increasing on both platforms."
Huge crowd of passengers on platform number 14
18 passengers died of suffocation in the stampede at New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday night. Officials said that the crowd of passengers going to Kumbh on platform number 14 and 15 had exceeded the capacity. These passengers were waiting for trains going to Prayagraj. 12 seriously injured people are being treated at Delhi's LNJP hospital. The deceased in this tragic accident include 9 women, 4 men and 5 women.
Of the deceased, 9 are from Bihar, 8 from Delhi and one from Haryana.
Eyewitnesses said that the stampede occurred due to heavy crowd at the station and many passengers fainted due to suffocation.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police (Railway) said in an official statement that platform number 14 was already crowded when the Prayagraj Express train was waiting there for its departure.
The official said that the Swatantrata Senani Express and Bhubaneswar Rajdhani Express were running late and passengers of these trains were also present on platform numbers 12, 13 and 14.
The stampede started at around 9.55 pm, after which the authorities had to take immediate action.
A passenger who lost his mother in the stampede said that we were going to Chhapra in Bihar where we have a house. We were in a group. People were pushing each other. My mother died in this chaos and stampede. The doctor treating my mother has confirmed that my mother has died.
A female member of the same family fainted in shock.
Picture became clear from the immediate investigation report
The immediate report of the committee constituted to investigate this incident has said that the stampede situation arose after the announcement of a special train for Prayagraj.
We are presenting the immediate investigation report verbatim. "On 15.02.2025, at around 10:00 pm, a stampede occurred at New Delhi Railway Station. It was reported that there was a huge crowd of passengers on platform number 14, who were waiting to board the train going to Prayagraj.
"At the same time, a large number of passengers had gathered on platform number 13 to board the Swatantrata Senani Express going from New Delhi to Darbhanga.
The train was late and was rescheduled to depart at midnight, due to which passengers remained on the platform as platform numbers 14 and 13 are adjacent to each other and the crowd was increasing on both platforms."
"Moreover, railway officials were issuing around 1,500 general tickets every hour for Prayagraj, as a result of which more passengers were gathering on platform number 14. Due to the heavy crowd, there was no space left to even stand on the platform."
In view of the increasing crowd and continuous ticket sales, at around 10 pm, railway officials announced to run a special train for Prayagraj from platform number 16."
On hearing this announcement, passengers with general tickets already standing on platform number 14 crossed the foot overbridge and ran towards platform number 16. During this, they crushed the passengers already sitting on the foot overbridge, causing a stampede. In this incident, many men, women and children were injured."
The above-mentioned things have been said in the railway's immediate investigation report. This copy of the report is exclusive with Aaj Tak.
According to sources, the investigation has also revealed that at the time of the accident, the number of RPF jawans at the railway station was less. A large number of RPF jawans deployed at New Delhi Railway Station have been sent for duty at Prayagraj Railway Station.
Also Read: Delhi Stampede Video: 18 dead, know how stampede happened at New Delhi Railway Station
What does the railway spokesperson have to say?
Northern Railway CPRO Himanshu Shekhar said that at the time when this tragic incident happened, the train Magadh Express going to Patna was standing on platform number 14 and the train Uttar Sampark Kranti going towards Jammu was standing on platform number 15.
Statement of the railway porter is important
A porter present at New Delhi Railway Station gave the statement of Sugan Lal Meena said, "I have been working as a porter since 1981, but I have never seen such a crowd before. The Prayagraj Special was supposed to depart from platform number 12, but it was shifted to platform number 16.
Also Read: New Delhi Railway Station accident: Government will give Rs 10 lakh each to victim families
When the crowd waiting on platform 12 and the crowd waiting outside tried to reach platform 16, people started colliding and falling on the escalators and stairs."
When the crowd waiting on platform 12 and the crowd from outside tried to reach platform 16, people started colliding and falling on the escalators and stairs. We called the police, fire engines and 3-4 ambulances. Emergency services reached there, and people were taken to hospital
.