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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23-year-old woman found dead at Delhi home; suicide suspected
New Delhi (PTI): A 23-year-old woman was found dead in her house in Delhi's Prem Nagar area, with police suspecting it to be a case of suicide, an official said on Tuesday.
The deceased, identified as Anjali Singh, was found motionless in her room on Monday by her sister and her neighbour.
Police said her father, Vinod Kumar Singh (51), told them that he and his wife were away at work at the time of the incident, while their son and the other daughter were also not at home at the time of the incident.
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According to the family, the room in which Anjali was found was locked from the inside. The door was later forcibly opened by a neighbour and her sister with the help of a crowbar.
Her body was found lying on the bed inside the room, police said.
Preliminary inquiry revealed that Anjali had allegedly hanged herself using a piece of cloth tied to the ceiling fan.
It is suspected that the noose eventually might have loosened or torn off, resulting in her being found lying on the bed.
Family members informed the police that Anjali was a final-year student of a librarian science course from Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU). About a week ago, her final-year examination results were declared, and she had failed, following which she had been under depression, they said.
The family has not raised any allegation of foul play, police said, adding that no suicide note or external injury marks were found on the body during the initial inspection.
Inquest proceedings have been initiated in the matter as per the law. The body has been sent for post-mortem examination to ascertain the exact cause of death, and further investigation is underway, police added.
