A stampede at New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday evening claimed 18 lives, including 14 women, 4 men, and 4 children. The incident, occurring around 9:26 PM, left more than 25 injured. Most of the victims suffered chest and abdominal injuries, with suffocation cited as the cause of death.
The tragedy occurred between platforms 13, 14, and 15, where large crowds had gathered for the Mahakumbh. Delays in trains like Bhubaneswar Rajdhani and Swatantrata Senani Express worsened the situation. At around 9:00 PM, an announcement about the Prayagraj Special train arriving on platform 16 confused, leading passengers to rush to the wrong platform. Eyewitnesses claim this platform change triggered the stampede.
Authorities provided conflicting accounts—Delhi Police blamed confusion over similar train names, while Northern Railway suggested a passenger’s fall worsened the situation. An investigation has been launched, and crowd management deficiencies were identified as contributing factors.
