A tragic incident occurred at New Delhi Railway Station on February 15, 2025, in which at least 15 people, including two children, 11 women and two men, died in a stampede. The chaos was caused by a huge crowd of passengers on platform 14 at 8:00 pm local time, many of whom were Hindu pilgrims headed for the MahaKumbh Mela in Prayagraj.
The situation worsened when some passengers slipped and fell while alighting from the footbridge connecting the train platforms, adding to the confusion after the announcement of a platform change. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced an inquiry into the incident.
New Delhi Railway Station: Recurring Tragedy at MahaKumbh Mela
The tragedy comes after a similar incident two weeks ago during the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, in which several people died due to a stampede. Over 500 million participants have taken a dip in the waters of the holy river over the past four weeks, but this time the festival has been marred by overcrowding and safety concerns.
Despite efforts to control the huge crowd of devotees, challenges remain in ensuring the safety of participants during such massive religious gatherings.
