Stampede at New Delhi Railway Station lasted 15 minutes; fire officials faced difficulty reaching site

New Delhi station stampede

The reports of "four women fainting" at the New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday quickly escalated into a deadly stampede, claiming 18 lives and leaving over a dozen severely injured.

The stampede lasted for approximately 15 minutes, forcing railway officials, police, and disaster management teams into immediate action.

The platforms were evacuated, and special trains were arranged to transport stranded passengers. According to the officials, had it not been for the swift response, the casualties could have been much higher.

They informed that multiple special trains were immediately pressed into service, and passengers were sent to their destination while the platforms were evacuated. "This was crucial in preventing further casualties," said a senior Railway Protection Force (RPF) official to the Times of India.

Fire officials reported difficulties in reaching the site due to traffic congestion around Paharganj. They took a different route to reach the spot.

The situation was further complicated by the sheer number of people still crowding the platforms. "Even after the incident, people continued to throng the platforms. We asked them to move and give way, but they didn’t listen," a senior fire official said.

The stampede was first detected by staff monitoring CCTV footage around 9pm who immediately alerted other railway staff, deploying 70 personnel initially, with an additional 30 added for assistance. The police also sent six additional companies as part of the standard operating procedure.

Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora, Joint CP Vijay Kumar, and DCP KPS Malhotra were also quick to respond to the scene, coordinating rescue efforts alongside coolies and vendors.

A tragedy struck when an elderly man lost his balance amid the chaos. "I saw him fall, and before he knew it, people were stepping over him," said a vendor who witnessed the harrowing moment.

He said that he screamed for help, but no one could stop—everyone was just trying to save themselves.

The stampede left behind a scene of utter chaos, with the belongings of the passengers strewn across the station. They barely had time to collect their things as shoes, slippers, clothes, and bags were left scattered on the stairs and tracks.

As night fell, there were allegations claiming that relatives of the victims were offered cash compensation and asked to leave the station. A photograph of the alleged compensation surfaced on social media but could not be independently verified.

Meanwhile, authorities have vowed to review and strengthen measures to prevent such tragedies in the future.