Mon Feb 17 10:27:08 UTC 2025: ## Delhi Railway Station Stampede Claims 18 Lives, Including Family of Three Headed to Kumbh Mela

**New Delhi, India –** A devastating stampede at New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday night claimed the lives of at least 18 people, including a family of three traveling to the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj. Vijay Saha, his wife Krishna Devi, and their 11-year-old granddaughter Suruchi were among the victims.

The family had travelled from Bihar’s Samastipur to Delhi several days prior and were waiting to board their train when a sudden rush on a footover bridge resulted in a stampede on platforms 14 and 15. According to officials, some passengers fell, triggering a chain reaction. Over a dozen others sustained injuries.

The tragic news was broken to the family in Bihar in the early hours of Sunday morning. Kajal, Vijay Saha’s daughter, received a call from her brother requesting her parents’ Aadhaar cards, without initially disclosing the extent of the tragedy. The family was later informed of the triple fatality by Manoj Kumar Sah, the victims’ son-in-law.

Sunaina Devi, Suruchi’s paternal grandmother, described a horrifying phone call with her daughter-in-law, ending with a scream before the line went dead. Pramod Kumar, Suruchi’s uncle, confirmed the family’s departure from Bihar and the devastating news received at 1 am.

A high-level inquiry into the incident has been launched, and the government has announced compensation: Rs 10 lakh (approximately $120,000 USD) for the families of the deceased, Rs 2.5 lakh for those seriously injured, and Rs 1 lakh for those with minor injuries. The son of Vijay Saha and Krishna Devi has since travelled to Samastipur to bring their bodies home. The incident highlights the dangers of overcrowding and the need for improved safety measures at major railway stations.

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