Panic at Station as Train Shifted from Platform 12 to 16, Eyewitness Recalls Horror

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): The real reason behind the stampede that took place at New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday night has come to light. 18 people died in the accident and many others were injured. After this tragic accident, questions are being raised about the security arrangements available at the station. Passengers who witnessed the incident said that it was a horrifying scene. There was chaos everywhere. People were screaming to find their loved ones.

An eyewitness said, “The crowd was out of control, people were gathering on the footover bridge… Such a huge crowd was not expected. I have never seen such a huge crowd at the railway station, not even during festivals. Administration people and even NDRF personnel were present there, but when the crowd exceeded the limit, it was not possible to control them.”

Another eyewitness, referring to the chaos, said that after the announcement of the train changing platforms, the crowd came from both sides, leading to a stampede. “There was no one to control the crowd… It was announced that the train that was to arrive on platform number 12 will now come on platform number 16. So, the crowd came from both sides and there was a stampede… Some people were taken to hospital,” he said.

"We were 12 people going to Maha Kumbh. We had not even reached the platform but were on the stairs... My family including my sister was stuck in the crowd. We found her half an hour later, by then she was dead," said a victim who lost his sister in the stampede who is at LNJP hospital.

The incident took place around 10 pm when thousands of devotees were heading to Prayagraj for the Maha Kumbh 2025 festival, causing an extreme rush at the station. The delay in the departure of the train and the sale of around 1,500 general tickets worsened the situation and increased the crowd even more. The chaos was followed by the announcement of a special train to go to the Maha Kumbh