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Former Union Railway Minister and RJD Chief Lalu Prasad Yadav has blamed the mismanagement of the Railway authorities for the tragic stampede at New Delhi railway station that claimed the lives of 18 people. Expressing his condolences to the victims, Yadav called for the Railway Minister to take responsibility for the incident, which he described as a direct result of overcrowding and delays in train departures.
In response to a question about crowd management for the upcoming Maha Kumbh festival, Yadav dismissed the event’s significance, saying, “Kumbh ka kahan koi matlab hai. Faaltu hai kumbh” (Kumbh has no meaning. Kumbh is useless). His comments were made after the stampede, which occurred as thousands of devotees rushed to board trains for the Maha Kumbh 2025 in Prayagraj.
The deadly stampede occurred around 10 pm when passengers, many heading to Prayagraj for the festival, were squeezed onto Platform 14 at New Delhi railway station. The chaos escalated due to platform changes, delays, and overcrowding. Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Railway, KPS Malhotra, stated that the delays of trains such as the Swatantrata SenExpress and Bhubaneswar Rajdhani added to the congestion at platforms 12, 13, and 14, creating a dangerous situation for passengers.
Eyewitness Accounts Paint a Picture of Chaos and Mismanagement
Eyewitnesses described the chaotic scene, with one passenger recounting how an announcement about a train platform change triggered panic. “The train arriving on Platform 12 was moved to Platform 16. The crowd surged from both sides, leading to the stampede,” one eyewitness shared.
Despite the presence of administration officials and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel, the overwhelming crowd proved impossible to manage. “The crowd was beyond control, gathered across the foot overbridge… I’ve never seen such a massive crowd at a railway station, even during festivals,” another witness explained.
Ticket Sales and Delays Worsen the Situation
Reports suggest that around 1,500 general tickets were sold, further contributing to the overpacked platforms. The combination of delays and the high number of passengers led to a dire situation that no one was able to control, despite the efforts of the authorities.
