Passenger slipping on stairs lead to stampede at New Delhi Railway Station? High-level probe launched

NEW DELHI: Delhi Police on Sunday launched a probe into the stampede at New Delhi Railway Station and will analyze CCTV footage to piece together the events leading up to the chaos, sources said.
"Our primary focus is to determine the exact cause of the stampede. We will review all CCTV footage and examine announcements made during that time," a police source stated.

Northern Railway’s Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyay stated that the chaos began when a passenger slipped on the stairs while moving towards these platforms, causing several others behind him to lose balance. A high-level committee has been set up to investigate the matter.
"When the incident occurred, Magadh Express bound for Patna was stationed at platform 14, while Uttar Sampark Kranti to Jammu was at platform 15. A passenger fell on the stairs, triggering a chain reaction that led to the stampede," Upadhyay said. He added that train services remained unaffected and that normalcy had been restored at the station.
The victims included Aaha Devi (79), Pinky Devi (41), Sheela Devi (50), Vyom (25), Poonam Devi (40), Lalita Devi (35), Suruchi (11), Krishna Devi (40), Vijay Sah (15), Neeraj (12), Shanti Devi (40), Pooja Kumar (8), Sangeeta Malik (34), Poonam (34), Mamta Jha (40), Riya Singh (7), Baby Kumari (24), and Manoj (47).
According to reports, around 1,500 general tickets were sold, resulting in a massive crowd. Congestion worsened near platform 14 and the escalator at platform 1.
NDRF Commandant Daulat Ram Chaudhary confirmed that the situation was now under control. "The injured have been evacuated, and rescue operations are complete," he said.
DCP (Railways) KPS Malhotra noted that the crowd buildup intensified as passengers gathered near platform 14, where the Prayagraj Express was stationed. Delays in the Swatantrata Senani Express and Bhubaneswar Rajdhani further contributed to congestion at platforms 12, 13, and 14.
The Railway Board has constituted a two-member high-level committee to probe the cause of the stampede. "The committee will investigate the matter. The situation is now stable, and passengers have been accommodated on special trains," said Dilip Kumar, Executive Director (Information & Publicity), Railway Board.
'No one was listening'
An eyewitness, an Indian Air Force sergeant, recounted that despite repeated announcements urging people to avoid gathering in large numbers, the crowd remained uncontrollable."The administration was trying to manage the situation, but people were not listening. I also helped the injured with a friend," he told ANI.
Another witness described the sheer scale of the crowd, stating that even personnel from the administration and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) struggled to control the surge. "I have never seen such a massive crowd at the station, even during festivals," he said.
(With inputs from agencies)