Stampede at New Delhi Railway Station leaves 16 dead, several injured
New Delhi: A tragic stampede at New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday night resulted in the deaths of 16 people, including two children, and left several others injured. The incident occurred on platforms 14 and 15 after the cancellation of two trains bound for Prayagraj, triggering chaos among passengers.
The railway ministry has ordered a high-level inquiry into the incident. Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw confirmed that the rush had subsided and the situation was under control. He extended condolences to the victims' families and assured that relief efforts were underway.
Delhi’s caretaker Chief Minister Atishi visited LNJP Hospital, where several injured passengers were admitted. She stated that two MLAs were present at the hospital to support victims and their families.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Railway, KPS Malhotra, explained that the stampede was caused by an overwhelming influx of passengers. Due to delays in the Swatantrata Senani Express and Bhubaneswar Rajdhani, large crowds had gathered on platforms 12, 13, and 14. Additionally, 1,500 general tickets had been sold, making the crowd unmanageable.
The railway ministry, in a press release, stated that the sudden surge in passengers created panic, leading to people fainting in the "unprecedented rush situation." Rescue teams, including four fire tenders, were immediately dispatched to assist in relief operations.
Opposition leaders from the AAP and Congress have criticized the BJP-led central and Uttar Pradesh governments, alleging inadequate crowd control measures for passengers traveling from Prayagraj.
The ongoing Maha Kumbh pilgrimage has significantly increased passenger traffic at railway stations across India. Over 92.10 lakh devotees took a dip in the Sangam on Saturday, with more than 2.79 lakh passengers boarding trains from Prayagraj by 6 AM. On Friday alone, 10.47 lakh passengers traveled on 328 trains from Prayagraj.
Authorities are closely monitoring the situation, and additional special trains are being arranged to manage the massive influx of pilgrims and travelers.
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Trump’s fresh threat to bomb Iran amid reports of deal to end war
Washington (PTI): US President Donald Trump on Wednesday threatened Iran with more bombing if it doesn't reopen the Strait of Hormuz, amid a report that the warring sides were nearing an agreement to end the war.
US media outlet Axios reported, quoting US officials and two other sources, that the US and Iran were getting close to a one-page memorandum of understanding to end the war and set a framework for more detailed nuclear negotiations.
The US expects Iranian responses on several key points over the next 48 hours, Axios reported, adding that nothing has been agreed yet. This was the closest the parties had been to an agreement since the war began.
"Assuming Iran agrees to give what has been agreed to, which is, perhaps, a big assumption, the already legendary Epic Fury will be at an end, and the highly effective Blockade will allow the Hormuz Strait to be OPEN TO ALL, including Iran," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
"If they don’t agree, the bombing starts, and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before," Trump said.
According to Axios, the deal would involve Iran committing to a moratorium on nuclear enrichment, the US agreeing to lift its sanctions and release billions in frozen Iranian funds, and both sides lifting restrictions around transit through the Strait of Hormuz.
It said many of the terms laid out in the memo would be contingent on a final agreement being reached, leaving the possibility of renewed war or an extended limbo in which the hot war has stopped, but nothing is truly resolved.
