Stampede at New Delhi Railway Station Leaves 18 Dead, Several Injured
Authorities Announce Financial Aid; President, Prime Minister Express Grief
New Delhi, 16th February 2025 A tragic stampede at New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday night claimed the lives of 18 people, leaving 12 others injured as thousands of passengers rushed to board trains bound for Prayagraj. The uncontrolled surge of passengers and overcrowding on platforms 12 to 16 led to panic and chaos, culminating in a deadly disaster.
Railway officials have announced compensation for the victims’ families. Each family of the deceased will receive ₹10 lakh, while seriously injured individuals will be given ₹2.5 lakh, and those with minor injuries will receive ₹1 lakh.
President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with other political leaders, have expressed deep sorrow and extended condolences to the bereaved families, wishing a speedy recovery to the injured.
Incident Details: Overcrowding Leads to Chaos
The tragedy unfolded late Saturday night when passenger movement swelled beyond control at the New Delhi Railway Station. As the demand for Prayagraj-bound trains surged, desperate commuters pushed through the crowds in an attempt to board, leading to an uncontrollable stampede.
Confirming the fatalities, Delhi Police stated that 18 people had lost their lives, including 14 women. The victims were rushed to LNJP Hospital and Lady Hardinge Hospital, where they were declared dead on arrival.
List of Identified Victims
Authorities have released the names of the 18 deceased individuals, hailing from Delhi, Bihar, Haryana, and other states:
- Aaha Devi (79) Buxar, Bihar
- Pinky Devi (41) Sangam Vihar, Delhi
- Sheela Devi (50) Sarita Vihar, Delhi
- Vyom (25) Bawana, Delhi
- Poonam (40) Bihar
- Lalita Devi (35) Bihar
- Suruchi (11) Muzaffarpur, Bihar
- Krishna Devi (40) Samastipur, Bihar
- Vijay Sah (15) Samastipur, Bihar
- Neeraj (12) Vaishali, Bihar
- Shanti Devi (40) Nawada, Bihar
- Pooja (8) Nawada, Bihar
- Sangeeta Malik (34) Bhiwani, Haryana
- Poonam (34) Mahavir Enclave, Delhi
- Mamta Jha (40) Nangloi, Delhi
- Riya Singh (7) Sagarpur, Delhi
- Baby (24) Bijwasan, Delhi
- Manoj (47) Nangloi, Delhi
Financial Assistance Announced by Indian Railways
The Indian Railways has pledged financial assistance to the victims’ families and injured passengers:
₹10 lakh for the families of the deceased ₹2.5 lakh for critically injured victims ₹1 lakh for those with minor injuries
National Leaders Express Condolences
President Droupadi Murmu
“Deeply saddened by the loss of lives in the stampede at New Delhi Railway Station. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi
The Prime Minister took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his grief:
“Pained by the stampede at New Delhi Railway Station. My thoughts are with those who lost their loved ones. Praying for the injured to recover soon. Authorities are providing all necessary assistance to those affected.”
Union Home Minister Amit Shah
“My condolences to the families who lost their loved ones in this unfortunate incident. The injured are receiving the best possible medical treatment. Wishing them a speedy recovery.”
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh
“Heartbroken by the tragic stampede at New Delhi Railway Station. My deepest condolences to the grieving families. Wishing the injured a swift recovery.”
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath
Calling the incident “heartbreaking,” the UP CM stated:
“The loss of lives in the stampede at New Delhi Railway Station is extremely tragic. My prayers for the departed souls and strength for the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon.”
Eyewitness Accounts: Panic and Desperation
Survivors have described frightening scenes of people tripping, falling, and getting crushed in the melee.
Yogesh Mishra, a commuter who had an AC-2 class ticket, recalled:
“There was no space even to stand. People were climbing over one another to get inside the train. The bathrooms were packed with passengers. The rush was beyond control.”
Bimla Devi, whose husband suffers from a heart condition, is still searching for him:
“I last saw my husband at 10 PM. Since then, I have been running from the hospital to the station, but no one is helping me. The authorities are not providing clear information.”
Rakesh Rawat, who was with his family of four at platform 14, shared his experience:
“Suddenly, around 100 people started running in panic. Someone shouted that the train had shifted to another platform. In just five minutes, the stampede happened. I saw children falling and getting crushed in the chaos.”
Station Lockdown and Travel Disruptions
Following the incident, New Delhi Railway Station was put under lockdown to control the situation and prevent further casualties.
All routes leading to the station were temporarily closed. Only passengers with valid tickets were allowed to enter. Several trains were delayed, while others were rescheduled.
Passengers stranded outside the station voiced frustration over lack of information and coordination, with many missing their scheduled trains due to the blockade.
Government Orders Inquiry, Steps Up Crowd Management Measures
The Ministry of Railways has ordered a high-level inquiry to determine the cause of the stampede and identify lapses in crowd control. Authorities are reviewing station security measures and passenger management strategies to prevent similar incidents in the future.
