UP CM Yogi expresses grief over loss of lives in stampede at New Delhi Railway Station

Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh) [India], February 16 (ANI): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief over the loss of lives in a stampede that killed 18 people at the New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday night.
Addressing a public rally on Sunday, the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said, "...An unfortunate incident took place at New Delhi Railway Station yesterday. I pay my deepest condolences to all those who lost their lives."
A tragic stampede occurred at New Delhi Railway Station, resulting in the loss of 18 lives on Saturday. The incident happened around 10 pm when thousands of devotees were heading to Prayagraj for the Maha Kumbh 2025 festival, causing severe overcrowding at the station.
According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Railway, KPS Malhotra, the incident occurred when a large number of passengers gathered on platform no. 14, where the Prayagraj Express was stationed. Additionally, delays in the departures of the Swatantrata Senani Express and Bhubaneswar Rajdhani led to further congestion at platforms 12, 13, and 14.
An eyewitness described the chaos, stating that the crowd came from both sides after an announcement about a train platform change, leading to the stampede.
"There was no one to control the crowd... It was announced that the train coming on platform number 12 would now arrive on platform number 16. So, the crowd came from both sides, and a stampede occurred... some people were taken to the hospital..." he said.
Another eyewitness recounted the horror, saying that the crowd was beyond control. People from the administration and even NDRF personnel were there, but when the crowd exceeded the limit, it was impossible to manage them.
"The crowd was beyond control; people were gathered at the foot over the bridge... Such a huge crowd wasn't expected. I have never seen such a massive crowd at the railway station, even during festivals. People from the administration and even NDRF personnel were there, but when the crowd exceeded the limit, it wasn't possible to control them," he said.
Meanwhile, a compensation of Rs 10 lakh by the Indian Railways was announced for the families of the deceased who lost their lives in the tragic incident.
Additionally, a compensation of Rs 2.5 lakh has been announced for the seriously injured and Rs 1 lakh for those with minor injuries. (ANI)