“No One Was Listening”: Air Force Official Recounts Delhi Stampede Horror

A stampede occurred at New Delhi Railway Station, ensuing within the lack of 15 lives on Saturday. The incident occurred round 10 pm when 1000’s of devotees had been heading to Prayagraj for the Maha Kumbh 2025 pageant, inflicting extreme overcrowding on the station.

An eyewitness, an Indian Air Drive (IAF) sergeant on Sunday recounted that regardless of bulletins and efforts to persuade folks to keep away from gathering in massive numbers, the gang remained unmanageable. He mentioned the administration tried to manage the gang, however folks did not pay attention.

Chatting with the information company ANI, Ajit mentioned, “We’ve got a tri-service workplace on the railway station. After I was returning after my responsibility, I could not go as there was an enormous crowd… I attempted to persuade folks and in addition made bulletins interesting to folks to keep away from gathering on the platform in massive numbers. The administration was working exhausting to stop any mishap, however nobody was listening… I additionally helped the injured folks with the assistance of one in every of my buddies.”

One other eyewitness recounted the horror, saying that the gang was past the restrict.

“The gang was past the restrict, folks had been gathered on the (foot over) bridge… Such an enormous crowd wasn’t anticipated. I’ve by no means seen such a large crowd on the railway station, even throughout the festivals. Individuals from the administration and even NDRF personnel had been there, however when the gang exceeded the restrict, it wasn’t attainable to manage them,” he mentioned.

One of many sufferer’s brothers on the LNJP hospital, who misplaced his sister within the stampede, mentioned, “We had been 12 folks going to Maha Kumbh. We hadn’t even reached the platform however had been on the stairs… My household, together with my sister, had been caught within the crowd. We discovered her after half an hour, and by the point she was lifeless.”

One other eyewitness described the chaos, stating that the gang got here from either side after an announcement a couple of prepare platform change, resulting in the stampede.

“There was nobody to manage the gang… It was introduced that the prepare approaching platform quantity 12 would come on platform quantity 16. So the gang got here from either side and a stampede occurred…some folks had been taken to the hospital…,” he mentioned.

Delays in prepare departures and the sale of round 1,500 common tickets exacerbated the scenario and contributed to the overwhelming crowd.

Among the many affected passengers, Pappu, a resident of Bihar’s Patna, shared his grief, saying, “My mom died within the stampede. We had been on our means dwelling.”

NDRF Commandant Daulat Ram Chaudhary confirmed that the scenario was now beneath management. “…The scenario is beneath management now. The injured have been evacuated…We obtained details about a stampede at platform no. 14 on the station… We’re finishing up the rescue operations…”

DCP Railway KPS Malhotra said that whereas the authorities had anticipated a big crowd, the incident unfolded inside moments.

“We anticipated the gang, but it surely all occurred in a fraction of time, and therefore this example occurred. The very fact-finding might be performed by the Railways… After inquiry, we’ll get to know the rationale behind the incident,” he instructed ANI.

In the meantime, the Railway Board, on Sunday, knowledgeable {that a} two-member high-level committee had been shaped to research the matter and decide the reason for the stampede at New Delhi railway station.

“A two-member high-level committee has been shaped to research the matter… The scenario is beneath management, and the passengers have been despatched by particular prepare… Practice motion on the railway station is regular now,” Dilip Kumar, Government Director of Info & Publicity (ED/IP), Railway Board.

In accordance with Mr Kumar, the station was experiencing an unusually excessive quantity of passengers, prompting the railways to function 4 further particular trains to handle the gang.

To regain management of the scenario, entry to the railway station was quickly blocked.

“The variety of passengers was comparatively very excessive right this moment on the New Delhi railway station, and so we ran 4 extra particular trains. We obtained info that just a few folks fainted – they’ve been admitted to an area hospital. We blocked entry to the railway station for some time, however the scenario is beneath management now,” added Mr Kumar.

In accordance with Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Railway, KPS Malhotra, the incident occurred when numerous passengers gathered on platform no. 14, the place the Prayagraj Categorical was stationed. Moreover, delays within the departures of Swatantrata Senani Categorical and Bhubaneshwar Rajdhani led to additional congestion at platforms 12, 13, and 14.