Conflicting versions on Delhi tragedy

The death toll in the horrific New Delhi Railway Station stampede rose to 18 on Sunday while the government set up an inquiry committee to investigate the incident that could have been triggered by confusion over two Prayagraj-bound trains, including a Kumbh special.

Four seriously injured passengers are still in the hospital while the remaining have been discharged. Among the dead, 13 are from Delhi and the remaining 5 from Bihar.

The railways, in a statement, citing a sudden spike in ticket bookings at the station between 6 pm and 8 pm, admitted to a surge in the crowds to board the trains heading for Prayagraj for the ongoing Maha Kumbh.

But maintained that “neither platform change was made, nor any special train (was) cancelled,” alluding that the stampede could have started with a sudden movement of passengers from Platform No 14 — where Prayagraj Express was stationed — to Platform No 12 from where Prayagraj Special was scheduled to depart.

However, there is another version of the sequence of events that contributed to the melee and, subsequently, the stampede.

Manju Devi failed to enter the Bihar-bound Magadh Express on Friday which was packed to the brim. “And then we heard an announcement that a special train would depart from the adjoining platform. Those who had missed their earlier train started rushing towards the foot overbridge,” she told DH, recalling the events as they unfolded on platforms 12 to 16.

Those present at the station say the adjoining platforms, 12, 13, and 15, too, were crowded on account of the delay in three other trains — Magadh Express, Swatantrata Senani Express and Bhubaneswar Express.

“As a result, some passengers started moving towards platform 16,” said a porter who was present at the station. The maximum number of casualties was reported from the foot overbridge between platforms 14 and 16.

At the Ram Manohar Lohia, where the bodies of most of the deceased were brought, relatives searched for near and dear ones who went missing at the station when the tragedy struck. The phone of 34-year-old Sangeeta Malik, who was scheduled to travel to Prayagraj for Kumbh, has not been reachable since last night. Her friends, who reached the mortuary looking for Sangeeta, were told the family had already taken the body to their native place in Haryana.

Railways have announced the names of two high administrative group officials, who will be part of the inquiry committee constituted to probe the stampede. Narsingh Deo, Principal Chief Commercial Manager, Northern Railway, and Pankaj Gangwar, Principal Chief Security Commissioner, Northern Railway, are the members of the committee.

A compensation of Rs 10 lakh each to the next of kin of those killed has been announced by the government.

Those seriously injured would be given Rs 2.5 lakh while Rs 1 lakh would be paid to passengers who received minor injuries. Railways have decided that Prayagraj-bound special trains from the New Delhi station will now run from platform number 16.