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16 people dead, several injured at New Delhi railway station, railway ministry orders high-level probe
The incident occurred on platforms 14 and 15 of the railway station. The stampede occurred after two trains to Prayagraj got cancelled.
A stampede occurred at New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday night, leaving 16 people dead and several others injured. Out of the 16 fatalities, two were children.
Track live updates here: New Delhi Railway Station Stampede Live Updates: ‘It's a rumour’, says Northern Railways
Prime minister Narendra Modi expressed his sorrow at the news in a post on X saying, “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.”
Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on platform X that the rush had reduced and that the situation was under control. He also offered his condolences to the families of the victims.
How did the stampede occur?
The tragic incident occurred on platforms 14 and 15 of the railway station at around 9:30 pm as per an official statement issued by the railway ministry. The stampede occurred after two trains to Prayagraj got cancelled, resulting in chaos on the platform.
A high-level inquiry into the incident has been ordered by the railway ministry.
Authorities immediately dispatched rescue teams and four fire tenders were rushed to the site to assist in the relief efforts, DFS chief Atul Garg told PTI.
Also Read: UP govt not releasing correct toll of Maha Kumbh stampede: Mamata Banerjee
Deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Railway, KPS Malhotra, told ANI, that the stampede-like situation had been caused by an influx of passengers from delayed trains.
He stated, “When Prayagraj Express was standing at platform no. 14, lots of public were present at the platform. Swatantrata Senani Express and Bhubaneshwar Rajdhani were delayed, and passengers of these trains were also present at platform no. 12,13 and 14. As per the information, 1500 general tickets were sold - that’s why the crowd became uncontrollable.”
In a press release the railway ministry said that a sudden surge in passengers caused '"panic" and led to passengers fainting amid the “unprecedented rush situation.”
Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that four special trains had evacuated all the injured people after the sudden rush. More trains are likely to be arranged soon.
Delhi's caretaker CM Atishi visited LNJP hospital where several injured people were admitted after the stampede. She stated that two MLAs were present at the hospital to aid the victim's families and those who had been injured.
Opposition leaders from the AAP and Congress have questioned the BJP-led Central and Uttar Pradesh government over the stampede, claiming that arrangements were not made to control large crowds coming in from Prayagraj.
Massive influx of pilgrims due to Maha Kumbh
The railway stations in most parts of India are witnessing a massive influx of pilgrims due to the ongoing Maha Kumbh.
Over 92.10 lakh devotees took a dip in the Sangam till 2 PM, according to the data released by the Uttar Pradesh government. As per the data, nearly 90.2 lakh people visited the Mahakumbh today and over 200,000 Kalpwasis remain at the banks of the sacred rivers.
More than 501 million people have taken holy dips in the Sangam as of February 14. Over 2.79 lakh passengers boarded trains from Prayagraj railway station by 6 am on Saturday, as the Mahakumbh continued to draw massive crowds, according to Indian Railways.
On Friday (February 14), over 10.47 lakh passengers travelled on a total of 328 trains from Prayagraj.
