18 Lives Lost in New Delhi Railway Station Stampede

What began as a typical evening at New Delhi Railway Station turned tragic around 9:30 PM when an overwhelming crowd converged on Platform 14. Despite announcements and crowd control efforts, the situation quickly deteriorated:

• Initial crowd buildup noticed at 9:00 PM
• Situation became critical by 9:30 PM
• Multiple fainting incidents reported by 9:45 PM
• Emergency response teams arrived by 10:00 PM
• Hospital authorities alerted by 10:15 PM

Eyewitness Accounts

"I have never seen such a massive crowd at the railway station, even during festivals," reported one witness. An IAF sergeant present at the scene described how despite administrative efforts and repeated announcements, the crowd remained unmanageable. Sanjay, who lost his sister in the tragedy, shared: "We hadn't even reached the platform but were at the stairs... We found her after half an hour and by then she was dead."

Emergency Response and Medical Aid

NDRF teams deployed for rescue operations and 11 ambulances were rushed to the station. The majoity of the casualities were handled by Lok Nayab Hospital. Most of the injuries are orthopedic in nature and primary cause of death was hypoxia. Additional medical teams were also mobilized from nearby hospitals.

Official Response 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep distress over the incident, while Home Minister Amit Shah directed Delhi authorities to provide all possible assistance. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav has ordered a high-level inquiry into the incident, focusing on crowd management protocols. Railways announces ₹10 lakh for deceased families and the amount of ₹50,000 is announced for seriously injured individuals. 

Distressed by the stampede at New Delhi Railway Station. My thoughts are with all those who have lost their loved ones. I pray that the injured have a speedy recovery. The authorities are assisting all those who have been affected by this stampede.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 15, 2025

Hospital Status

• Lok Nayak Hospital: 12 casualties, 8 injured
• Ram Manohar Lohia: 4 casualties, 2 injured
• AIIMS Trauma Center: 2 casualties, 1 critical
• 11 injured patients receiving treatment

Following this tragic incident, the Railways is taking strong steps to protect passengers. Workers are now building more emergency exits at the station and installing better cameras to watch the crowds. The station will also get a new system to count how many people are on each platform. To make the station safer, more Railway Police Force (RPF) officers will be on duty round the clock. Special teams will stay at the station permanently to help during emergencies. The Railways is also making new rules about how to manage large crowds safely.