A stampede at New Delhi Railway Station resulted in a minimum of 18 fatalities, including 14 women and a child of seven years old, on a Saturday evening. Thousands of Hindu pilgrims were attempting to board trains to the Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, causing chaos. The incident injured more than 12 individuals, taking place across two platforms at one of India’s most crowded railway stations.
The stampede began around 8:00 p.m. local time on February 15, 2025, as passengers on two platforms scrambled to board their trains. According to official statements, the initial trigger for the stampede was several people slipping and falling while descending a footbridge linking the platforms. The situation rapidly escalated, resulting in numerous casualties.
A witness recounted the event: “There was a sea of humanity at the railway station, and the crowd surged towards the train going to Prayagraj. I lost my belongings and barely survived.”
Railway authorities refuted claims that announcements about platform changes incited the pandemonium. However, a mother who lost her daughter-in-law in the incident asserted that an announcement about a change of train platforms had sown confusion amongst the passengers.
An inquiry uncovered several factors that contributed to the tragedy. In the hours leading up to the stampede, over 2,600 additional unreserved tickets were sold. Several eastbound trains were concentrated on the Ajmeri Gate side platforms, exacerbating overcrowding issues. Also, announcements about a special train to Prayagraj on Platform 16 triggered a passenger rush. Warnings of the escalating crowds were posted on social media hours before the incident, yet no preventive measures were implemented.
Atishi, the chief minister of the national capital territory, confirmed that the injured were moved to Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narain Hospital in New Delhi. Two members of the Legislative Assembly stayed at the hospital to support the families of the victims. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that the situation was “under control” and that the Delhi Police and Railway Protection Force were already at the site.
A two-member committee has been established to probe the incident, and CCTV footage has been obtained. Authorities have taken immediate measures to sidestep similar incidents in the future, including designating a specific platform for all special trains to Prayagraj. As railway officials managed the ongoing stream of pilgrims headed to the festival, distraught relatives desperately searched for their missing loved ones in local hospitals.
The stampede took place during the Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the largest religious gatherings worldwide. Due to a rare 144-year celestial alignment, the festival is attracting even larger crowds of between 400-500 million people. This event followed another stampede at the festival itself, where at least 30 people died on January 28, 2025. The earlier incident raised concerns about crowd management at religious events in India.
The incident at the New Delhi Railway Station underscores the ongoing challenges in India’s transport infrastructure. The country is currently implementing a $47 billion upgrade to its railway network, which sees millions of passengers daily. Opposition parties have criticized the railway ministry’s handling of crowd management, particularly during significant religious festivals.
Historically, India has witnessed several major stampedes at religious gatherings over the past decade. Notable incidents include 121 deaths at a gathering to see a Hindu preacher in Uttar Pradesh in July 2024, 12 deaths at the Vaishno Devi shrine in January 2022, and 115 fatalities at the Ratangarh temple in October 2013.
