Sun Feb 16 02:30:16 UTC 2025: ## Delhi Railway Station Stampede Kills 18, Injures Dozens
**New Delhi, India** – A stampede at New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday night claimed the lives of at least 18 people, including 11 women and five children, and injured over a dozen more. The incident occurred around 9:55 pm, causing widespread chaos and prompting an immediate emergency response.
The stampede was triggered by a confluence of factors, primarily delays in two trains – the Swatantrata Senani and Bhubaneswar Rajdhani – and the arrival of a special Maha Kumbh Express train to Prayagraj. The sale of approximately 1,500 additional general tickets for the Kumbh Mela further exacerbated the already overcrowded platforms 13 and 14. As the Prayagraj Express’s departure time approached, a surge of passengers rushing to board, combined with a rumored platform change (denied by railway authorities), led to a chaotic crush.
Eyewitnesses reported passengers pushing and shoving, resulting in the stampede near the stairs. The Ministry of Railways has launched a high-level, two-member inquiry into the incident.
This tragedy follows similar incidents related to the Maha Kumbh Mela, a religious festival held once every twelve years. Earlier this week, passengers frustrated by delays on the Swatantrata Senani Express damaged train windows in Bihar.
President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed their condolences to the victims’ families and wished a speedy recovery for the injured. Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena also offered his deepest condolences and instructed authorities to address the situation. The injured are receiving treatment at nearby hospitals.
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