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Most of the bodies of those who lost their lives in the tragic stampede at the New Delhi Railway Station were found to have injuries on their chest and abdomen, with asphyxia suspected as the likely cause of death, sources at Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital have revealed.
The devastating incident, which took place late on Saturday night, resulted in the deaths of at least 18 people. According to Dr. Ajay Shukla, Medical Superintendent at RML Hospital, the facility received five bodies one male aged 25 years and four females, three of whom were in their 30s, while the fourth was a 70-year-old woman. “Four bodies have already been handed over to their families,” Dr. Shukla confirmed.
Sources at Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narain (LNJP) Hospital, where several of the injured were admitted, stated that a majority of the victims sustained lower limb injuries, with some suffering from bone fractures. However, all those admitted for treatment were later discharged after receiving primary medical care.
Overcrowding Crisis
The stampede occurred around 10 PM when thousands of devotees were rushing to board trains to Prayagraj for the upcoming Maha Kumbh 2025 festival. The overcrowding at platforms 12, 13, and 14 was exacerbated by delays in the departures of the Swatantrata Senani Express and Bhubaneswar Rajdhani, leading to chaotic scenes at the station.
Eyewitnesses recounted the horror, stating that the crowd swelled uncontrollably after a sudden platform change announcement. “There was no one to manage the crowd. The train scheduled to arrive on platform number 12 was shifted to platform 16, leading to a rush from both sides,” an eyewitness said.
Authorities have announced compensation for the victims’ families, with Indian Railways offering Rs 10 lakh for the deceased, Rs 2.5 lakh for the seriously injured, and Rs 1 lakh for those with minor injuries. Meanwhile, officials have launched an inquiry into the incident, focusing on crowd management failures and preventive measures to avoid such tragedies in the future.
(With ANI Inputs)
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