BSP chief Mayawati blames Railways' 'negligence' for stampede at New Delhi railway station

NEW DELHI: A stampede at New Delhi railway station on Sunday night killed 18 people and injured several others when thousands of devotees were heading to Prayagraj for the Maha Kumbh 2025 festival. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Chief Mayawati blamed Railways' negligence for the tragedy that occurred around 10 pm amid severe overcrowding at the station.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Railway, KPS Malhotra, reported that the incident took place when a large number of passengers gathered on platform 14, where the Prayagraj Express was stationed. The situation worsened due to delays in departures of the Swatantrata Senani Express and Bhubaneswar Rajdhani, leading to congestion at platforms 12, 13, and 14.
"It is very sad that due to the serious negligence of the railways, many people died and got injured in a stampede amidst the crowd gathered at New Delhi Railway Station to go to Prayagraj Maha Kumbh," Mayawati posted on X. "My deepest condolences to the victims. The government should take action against the culprits and also provide full help to the victims."
An eyewitness described how the tragedy unfolded after a platform change announcement. "There was no one to control the crowd... It was announced that the train coming on platform number 12 would now arrive on platform number 16. So, the crowd came from both sides, and a stampede occurred... some people were taken to the hospital..."
The sale of approximately 1,500 general tickets and train delays contributed to the overwhelming crowd at the station.
Another witness detailed the unprecedented crowd situation at the station. "The crowd was beyond control; people were gathered at the foot over the bridge... Such a huge crowd wasn't expected. I have never seen such a massive crowd at the railway station, even during festivals. People from the administration and even NDRF personnel were there, but when the crowd exceeded the limit, it wasn't possible to control them."
The massive gathering of devotees heading to the Prayagraj Maha Kumbh 2025 festival, combined with train delays and platform changes, created chaotic conditions leading to the tragic incident despite the presence of administration and NDRF personnel.