NEW DELHI: New Delhi Railway Station turned into a scene of devastation on Saturday night as a deadly stampede claimed 18 lives. Eyewitnesses and survivors of the horrific incident are struggling to come to terms with the chaos that unfolded before their eyes. Dharamji Mandal, who runs a bookstall on Platform 14, witnessed the tragedy unfold.
“No one was walking, people were just pushing ahead. I saw women fall to the ground, only to be trampled over. People didn’t even realise they were stepping on others who were still alive,” he recalled in a trembling voice.
Thousands of passengers were waiting to board trains bound for Prayagraj, where the Maha Kumbh is underway. The platforms were already packed beyond capacity. It all started with an announcement. In a split second, panic took over and people surged forward. Dharamji, trapped inside his shop, could do nothing but watch helplessly as people cried for help.
Bhairo, a porter at the station, described the scene as “uncontrollable.” He and other porters tried to pull out those who had fallen, but the crowd was too overwhelming. “We heard screams. People were shouting that someone was trapped underneath. But the rush was so intense that we could do little for help,” he said.
“Some people coming down from the footbridge towards Platforms 14 and 15 slipped and fell. In seconds, others toppled over them and the stampede began,” he added.
Another survivor, Rohit from Rohtak, was travelling with his mother and sister, when his mother lost her balance and fell onto the tracks, suffering a fractured arm.
Northern Railway’s CPRO, Himanshu Upadhyay, said at the time of the incident, the Patna-bound Magadh Express was at Platform 14, while the New Delhi-Jammu Uttar Sampark Kranti Express was on Platform 15. The confusion over train arrivals turned into a deadly mix of fear and desperation.