Confusion between ‘Prayagraj Express, Prayagraj Special’ caused stampede say officials; Delhi police to scan CCTV footage of railway station
NEW DELHI, Feb 16: A narrow stairway with 42 steps leading to a 25-foot-wide foot over bridge at the New Delhi railway station turned into a scene of panic and chaos when a stampede left 18 people dead and more than a dozen injured.
Scattered slippers, torn bags, and abandoned belongings lay strewn across the staircase, the bridge, and platforms 14 and 15 – silent witnesses to the tragedy that unfolded on Saturday night.
The disaster struck at 9:55 pm on Saturday, when thousands of passengers, many of them Maha Kumbh pilgrims, crowded the station. A mix-up in train announcements set off a chain reaction of confusion and panic, according to eyewitnesses.
The Delhi Police said the confusion happened because of the announcement of the trains having the same initial name starting with ‘Prayagraj’.
“The announcement of the Prayagraj Special arriving at platform 16 led to confusion because the Prayagraj Express was already at platform 14. People who couldn’t reach their train at platform 14 thought their train was arriving at platform 16 leading to the stampede.
“Additionally, there were four trains heading to Prayagraj, out of which three were delayed, causing unexpected overcrowding,” a police official said.
Two other trains, the Swatantrata Senani Express and the Bhubaneswar Rajdhani Express, were already delayed, leaving platforms 13, 14, and 15 packed with restless travellers. Then came an announcement that a special train to Prayagraj would depart from platform 16.
“A train to Prayagraj (Prayagraj Express) was already at platform 14. When the announcement about the special train was made, many passengers assumed it was their regular train and rushed towards platform 16,” said an eyewitness.
The only way to platform 16 was via the 42-step stairway leading to a 25-foot-wide foot over bridge. As thousands surged forward, the stairway became dangerously overcrowded. Those climbing up were blocked by those trying to descend, creating a human bottleneck.
“The force of the crowd was unbearable. People were trapped, unable to move. Some lost their footing and fell, dragging others down with them,” recalled Gyanender Singh, an eyewitness.
Panic set in as desperate cries filled the air. “Arey ruk jao, log marr rahe hain (Stop, people are dying),” one survivor shouted, but his voice was drowned out by the stampede.
With relentless pressure from behind, many – especially women and elderly passengers – fell and were trampled.
“I couldn’t move. People were falling on top of me,” said a survivor, still visibly shaken.
He further explained that a handrail divides the foot over bridge into two sections.
“Many passengers failed to notice the handrail, which stands about 2.5 feet above ground level. As a result, several people tripped over it, triggering panic. In the chaos, others began pushing to rescue those who had fallen, worsening the situation,” he added.
A railway worker involved in the rescue operation described the scene as one of the worst disasters he had witnessed.
“People had no time to pick up their belongings; they just ran for their lives. Shoes were left without pairs, broken bangles littered the ground, and a child’s school bag lay abandoned,” he said.
Railway officials admitted that overcrowding played a major role in the tragedy. With general tickets being sold at a rate of 1,500 per hour, managing the passenger surge had become nearly impossible.
Authorities have since tightened security and launched an investigation to determine what went wrong and how such incidents can be prevented.
By Sunday morning, the station had resumed normal operations, but the scars of the night remained. (PTI)