Mismanagement, overcrowding led to panic, injuries, & loss of life

New Delhi: The tragic stampede that unfolded at New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday night left 18 people dead and many others injured, with several survivors attributing the disaster to severe mismanagement and inadequate safety measures.

The incident occurred around 8 p.m. on Platforms 14 and 15, as passengers waited to board trains to Prayagraj for the Maha Kumbh festival.

Witnesses and survivors have expressed deep concerns about the chaotic situation, which they say was exacerbated by overcrowding and a lack of proper crowd control. “The station was packed, and there were no proper arrangements to manage such a large crowd. People were squeezed together, with no space to move,” said Rajeev, a survivor of the stampede. Many reported that the absence of crowd control and the failure to prevent overcrowding led to confusion, panic, and a devastating loss of life.

Among the 18 victims, 11 were women and 5 were children, with the remaining casualties being two men. The youngest victim was a 7-year-old girl from Delhi, while the oldest was a 79-year-old woman from Bihar. Witnesses mentioned that women and children suffered the most during the tragedy, as they struggled to navigate through the panicked crowd. “I was holding my daughter, but we couldn’t breathe. People were pushing, and there was no way to escape. I had never experienced such terror in my life,” said Priya, a woman who was at the station with her child.

A large number of the injured victims were reported to have sustained injuries to their chest and abdomen, while others suffered from panic attacks and asphyxia. “I couldn’t breathe, I was gasping for air. The crowd was too dense, and there was no clear way out. It felt like we were all suffocating,” said Neha, a woman who was rushed to the LNJP hospital after

sustaining injuries during the stampede. “There was no one to help us, no security, nothing. It was every person for themselves,” she added.

The chaos that led to the stampede was reportedly compounded by overcrowding due to the sale of 1,500 general tickets per hour. Eyewitnesses mentioned that delays in trains, such as the Swatantrata Senani Express and Bhubaneswar Rajdhani, added to the already overwhelming number of passengers on Platforms 14 and 15. “I had come from Bihar and had to leave today. But I got severe injury in my legs. As the chaos started to happen I was very confused. I had my wife and daughter along with me and I didn’t know how to get out safely. I saw people dying in front of me and this is something I will never forget. It is the failure of management that even after knowing that this is such huge event they did not had proper arrangements.” recalled Manoj, another survivor. Several individuals also pointed to the lack of communication and mismanagement by station authorities, which added to the confusion. “I heard an announcement, but it only made things worse. We didn’t know where to go, and people started running in all directions,” said Sunita, who was at the station with her family. Eyewitnesses believe a wrong announcement may have contributed to the panic, causing passengers to rush toward the already overcrowded platforms.

The incident has raised serious concerns about the safety measures in place, especially during large public gatherings such as the Maha Kumbh. Acting Delhi Chief Minister Atishi criticised both the central government and the Uttar Pradesh government for their lack of preparedness. “There were no arrangements in place to manage the influx of passengers, and the situation in Prayagraj is just as unorganised.

The lack of safety measures

contributed directly to this tragedy,” Atishi said.