Porters recall New Delhi railway station stampede horror: 'Carried bodies on handcarts, people gasping for air'

According to several porters, the crowd began to swell significantly around 9:30 pm, just before the Prayagraj-bound train arrived.

At least 18 people, including 14 women and five children, lost their lives in a horrific stampede at New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday night. Over a dozen others were injured and are currently receiving medical treatment at local hospitals. The stampede occurred around 9:55 pm, sparked by an overwhelming rush of passengers attempting to board trains, particularly a Prayagraj-bound train for the Maha Kumbh Mela.

Eyewitnesses and porters at the station, who were caught in the mayhem, shared chilling accounts of the tragedy. Krishna Kumar Jogi, one of the porters present at the scene, explained how the situation escalated when the Prayagraj train arrived.

"A massive crowd gathered on the footover bridge, and people were packed so tightly that many suffocated. Around 10-15 people lost their lives there," Jogi said in an interaction with PTI. He described the agonising process of moving the bodies from platforms 14 and 15 to waiting ambulances, overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the disaster.

Jogi also noted that among those trapped in the chaos were women and children, many of whom struggled to breathe amid the suffocating conditions. "People were gasping for air, unable to escape the crushing crowd," he said, his voice heavy with emotion.

Balram, a porter with over 15 years of experience, recounted how he and his colleagues had to carry the deceased on handcarts typically used for luggage. "In my entire career as a porter, I've never seen a crowd like this," he told PTI, shaken by the devastating sight of lifeless bodies being transported.

According to several porters, the crowd began to swell significantly around 9:30 pm, just before the Prayagraj-bound train arrived. "There were shoes, slippers, and other personal belongings scattered all over the platforms. We had to pull out children and elderly people from the madness," another porter recalled while interacting with PTI.

The stampede, officials believe, was triggered by a combination of factors, including the sheer volume of passengers trying to board trains heading to Prayagraj. As per Northern Railway’s Chief Public Relations Officer, Himanshu Upadhyay, the chaos was exacerbated when some passengers descending from the footover bridge slipped on the stairs, creating a domino effect that intensified the already crowded conditions on platforms 14 and 15.

In the wake of this tragedy, Indian Railways has announced compensation for the victims. The families of those killed in the stampede will receive Rs 10 lakh each, while those seriously injured will be compensated with Rs 2.5 lakh. Individuals with minor injuries will receive Rs 1 lakh.

The Ministry of Railways has initiated a high-level investigation to determine the causes of the stampede and assess the station's preparedness for handling large crowds, especially during peak travel times.