A high-level investigation has been ordered into the stampede at New Delhi railway station that killed 18 people and left several injured. The chaos unfolded late Saturday as thousands of devotees gathered to board trains to Prayagraj for the Mahakumbh Mela.
Officials said the stampede began after two Prayagraj-bound trains were canceled. The crowd kept building up on platform 14, where the Prayagraj Express was scheduled to depart. The situation worsened when the Swatantrata Senani Express and Bhubaneswar Rajdhani were delayed, leading to overcrowding on platforms 12, 13, and 14.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Railways) KPS Malhotra said the rush became uncontrollable, triggering two separate stampedes—one on platform 14 and another near the escalator close to platform 16.
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Railway officials had blocked one staircase each on platforms 14 and 15 to control the swelling crowd. However, as trains continued to be delayed, more passengers packed onto the staircases, pushing and shoving to either move toward the train or exit. Many people fell in the crush, while others suffocated due to the sheer number of passengers pressing forward.
The railway ministry described the situation as "unprecedented" and said passengers fainted due to panic. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the situation is under control. He announced additional special trains to manage the heavy rush of passengers.
(With inputs from agencies)