A horrifying stampede at New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday night resulted in the tragic deaths of 18 people including women and children. The incident occurred as thousands of passengers mainly Maha Kumbh pilgrims struggled to board overcrowded trains to Prayagraj.

Overcrowding and Ticket Sales Mismatch

Railway authorities were selling nearly 1,500 general tickets per hour but only two trains were available for the Maha Kumbh route at the time of the accident. Passengers with confirmed tickets found it impossible to board as non-ticketed travellers forcefully entered coaches leading to extreme congestion.

Platform Change Confusion

Eyewitnesses reported that pilgrims gathered at platforms 12, 13, 14 and 16 waiting for their trains. However a last-minute platform change announcement for a Prayagraj-bound train caused panic. The sudden shift from platform 12 to platform 16 led to chaos with passengers rushing through packed walkways and footbridges. 

Lack of Crowd Management and Security

Despite anticipating a massive rush for the Maha Kumbh no additional security or crowd control measures were implemented. The delayed arrival of the Swatantrata Senani and Bhubaneswar Rajdhani trains further worsened the situation. Witnesses claim there were insufficient police personnel to manage the surging crowd.

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Railway Authorities Under Fire

Initially railway officials dismissed reports of a stampede as rumours only later confirming the tragedy. Following public outrage Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw ordered an inquiry forming a two-member committee to investigate the incident.

The government has announced compensation for the victims but opposition parties are holding the rail ministry responsible demanding accountability and Ashwini Vaishnaw’s resignation.

This tragedy raises serious concerns about the railway system’s preparedness during major religious gatherings like the Maha Kumbh. The lack of additional trains poor crowd control and last-minute platform changes were key factors leading to the stampede. With millions still expected to travel for the event authorities must take immediate steps to prevent further disasters.