New Delhi Station stampede: How Maha Kumbh-bound pilgrims lost their lives

New Delhi Station stampede: What started as a routine evening at the New Delhi Railway Station quickly spiralled into a devastating tragedy. Thousands of passengers, eager to reach Prayagraj for the Maha Kumbh Mela, had gathered at the station, their anticipation thick in the air. But what should have been a smooth journey turned into sheer terror as a sudden platform change announcement sent waves of people surging towards the foot-over bridge. Panic set in—people stumbled, were pushed, and fell, only to be trampled in the confusion and desperation that followed.

By the time order was restored, 18 lives had been lost—11 women, five children, and two men. The remnants of the disaster were strewn across the station: abandoned luggage, broken bangles, torn bags, and bloodstains on the platform. Shoes and slippers lay scattered on the tracks and in dustbins, left behind by those who had only one instinct—to run for their lives.

Chaos and tragedy: A journey that turned fatal

For grieving families, the loss was immeasurable, and no investigation could ease their pain. What was meant to be a spiritual journey to the Maha Kumbh Mela ended in an unimaginable catastrophe.

Eyewitnesses described the terrifying ordeal to Patriot, expressing disbelief that a pilgrimage had ended in such tragedy.

Ramesh Kumar, an eyewitness, described the chaos. “My family and I had been waiting at the platform since 6 PM for the special train to Prayagraj. Around 8 pm, the crowd suddenly swelled. It became difficult to breathe. I have never seen such a massive crowd in my lifetime. Then, an announcement was made about the train’s platform change. People rushed towards the stairs, pushing each other, and that’s when the horror unfolded.”

Another passenger, Ved Gupta, shared his experience. “I was going to Prayagraj for a holy dip. There was a huge crowd at platform number 14. There were two of us, and we escaped unhurt. But it was a terrible scene.”

An eyewitness described the chaos. “There was no one to control the crowd… It was announced that the train coming on Platform 12 would now arrive on Platform 16. The crowd surged from both sides, leading to the stampede. Some people were taken to the hospital…”

Recounting the horror of the stampede at the railway station, Anju Jaiswal, 46, a resident of Banaras, said that the government had failed to manage the situation. “They failed to control the crowd and protect lives. There were no officials to guide us, no proper announcements, and no crowd control measures. People were left to fend for themselves in a sea of chaos.”

“People ran in such panic that they abandoned whatever they were carrying. They screamed for help, but there was no way out. It was heartbreaking to watch,” she said.

“She was just a child, only 12, waiting at the railway station with her parents to catch a train home to Bihar. But then the chaos unfolded,” Charan Singh ,41, an ambulance driver told Patriot over the phone. “Now, I am carrying her lifeless body in this ambulance.”

He continued, his voice weary from the long journey, “I picked up her body from LNJP Hospital in the morning. I left Delhi at 9 AM, and I am still 200 km away from Lucknow. Her parents and a little girl were with her at the station when the stampede happened. They were just trying to get home. Now, I am taking her back, but not the way they had imagined. No one should have to make this journey like this.”

Failed crowd control measures

Despite official announcements urging people to avoid gathering in large numbers, the situation spiralled out of control. Ajeet, 33, an IAF sergeant, recalled, “The administration tried to manage the crowd, but people didn’t listen.”

Another eyewitness described the horror: “People from the administration and NDRF personnel were present, but when the crowd exceeded the limit, it became impossible to control them. The foot-over bridge was packed. I have never seen such a massive crowd at this station, even during festivals.”

Arun Gupta, 47, a vendor outside the station, said, “I have seen crowds at the station before, but nothing like this. People were climbing over each other to escape. Some even left their luggage behind. I saw children crying, separated from their parents. It was heartbreaking.”

“Bodies were being carried out, and people were crying for their loved ones. The police were overwhelmed, and there was no proper system to handle the injured. Even the ambulances were stuck outside because of the crowd,” he said.

Raj Kumar, a tea vendor in front of the entrance near Paharganj, recalled, “When the stampede was ongoing, a couple of friends and I had gone inside since we had heard from a friend who was inside the station. When we reached, we saw scores of people trying to exit the station, with some of them not caring about who they had to stomp over to escape the suffocation of the station. This resulted in multiple deaths, with almost a hundred people getting injured.”

He alleged that the official estimates had been fudged by the government. “It is impossible for the number of deaths to be as low as projected. We had waited inside the station for a long time. According to what we saw, the number must be as high as 45, who died in the stampede, since the number of bodies being heralded on stretchers and body bags were much more. Inside some of the bags, around three bodies were crammed inside,” he said.

Scenes of devastation

Bhola Jha, a resident of Bihar, has been on the lookout for his wife since last night. “My wife, Meenu Devi, has been missing since last night. I have taken rounds of every hospital and every morgue in the city. Everyone has told me that my wife is not with them.”

Sangeeta Sharma, a resident of Patna, narrowly escaped the crush. “I was sitting on the bench at the platform when it happened. If I hadn’t, I would have fallen. At least 500 people were caught in the stampede. I saw a girl, a boy, and an old man die in front of me. After that, I was dragged away. I sat there, closed my eyes—I couldn’t bear to see it.”

Pawan Kumar from Bihar had a similar tale. “I arrived one or two hours before the train. Within half an hour, the crowd became unbearable. We thought we’d go to Old Delhi, but when we reached there, the same thing happened—we missed that train too. All the doors of trains were locked. We couldn’t go anywhere.”

Overcrowding worsened by ticket sales

Delays in train departures and the sale of around 1,500 general tickets exacerbated the situation, making crowd control nearly impossible. Among the affected passengers was Pappu, a resident of Patna. “My mother died in the stampede. We were on our way home.”

Also Read: Stampede at New Delhi Railway Station claims 18 lives, dozens injured

An eyewitness directly blamed the government for the disaster. “The government failed to control the crowd. There was no proper arrangement, no officials to guide people, and no police to manage the rush. It was pure chaos, and people paid the price with their lives.”

Calls for accountability

Jaswant Singh from Nirvair Sewa, who was distributing food among media personnel, police, and grieving relatives, criticised the lack of planning. “Better arrangements could have been made for the huge crowd due to Kumbh to avoid such an unpleasant situation. I hope strict action is taken against those responsible.”

Meanwhile, authorities scrambled to assess the scale of the disaster. Sweepers at the station cleared the tracks, removing the remains of the horrific tragedy.

Official response and witness allegations

DCP Railways KPS Malhotra confirmed the casualties. “We got a list of 18 people who lost their lives. We will update the current status. The crowd built up due to train delays. Some extra tickets were purchased for Prayagraj, and people gathered on the platforms. Within just 10 minutes, more people kept arriving. Fact-finding will be done by the railway, and today’s work is being handled by the GRP for the inquest.”

Hospital sources at Lok Nayak Hospital confirmed, “Most of the patients who got injured in the stampede sustained orthopaedic injuries. Only two patients are currently undergoing treatment in the hospital, while others were discharged post-recovery or took voluntary discharge.”

“We have sent five dead bodies to Ram Manohar Lohia hospital, including four females and one male. It is a very unfortunate incident, and we offer our condolences to the families who lost their loved ones,” they added.