Tue Feb 18 10:25:17 UTC 2025: ## Delhi Railway Stampede: RPF Official’s Warning Ignored, Report Reveals
**New Delhi, India** – An internal Railway Police Force (RPF) report suggests a preventable factor contributed to the deadly stampede at New Delhi railway station on Saturday, which claimed 18 lives, including five children. The report reveals that a senior RPF official alerted the station manager to the overwhelming crowd and urged a halt to ticket sales, fearing an uncontrollable situation. However, thousands of passengers were already on the platforms by that point.
The stampede occurred amidst the departure of three trains bound for Prayagraj between 8:15 pm and 10:10 pm, carrying Maha Kumbh devotees. The report states that approximately 1,500 general tickets were sold hourly, with many more purchased online, leading to an immense crowd on platforms 12 and 14. The announcement of a special train to Prayagraj, departing from platform 16, further exacerbated the situation as passengers rushed between platforms via overcrowded foot overbridges.
While the RPF report details the sequence of events leading to the tragedy, the Northern Railways’ Chief Public Relations Officer, Himanshu Shekhar, downplayed its significance, classifying it as an individual’s account rather than an official report. He emphasized that over 300 RPF personnel were on duty and that a high-level committee will examine all statements and CCTV footage before drawing conclusions.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw also dismissed claims of an extraordinary rush or a conspiracy behind the incident, although he acknowledged an ongoing investigation. The report also highlights a delay in calling emergency services; one injured woman stated that the first call to the fire brigade was made 40 minutes after the stampede began. The conflicting accounts and ongoing investigation leave the exact causes of the tragedy still under scrutiny.
First Piper 