Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Aug 2: The tragic stampede at New Delhi Railway Station on February 15 that left 18 dead and 15 injured was triggered by a large headload falling from a passenger on a crowded foot overbridge (FOB), Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed the Rajya Sabha on Friday.

Responding to a query by Samajwadi Party MP Ramji Lal Suman on the status of the probe, Vaishnaw quoted the findings of a high-level inquiry committee. “The incident occurred at 8.48 pm on the stairs of FOB-3, which connects platforms 14 and 15. A sudden increase in crowd density after 8.15 pm, combined with several passengers carrying heavy headloads, disrupted smooth movement,” he stated.

“A big headload fell from a passenger, causing a chain reaction that led to tripping on the stairs. People fell on each other, resulting in the fatal stampede,” he added.

The minister also claimed that adequate crowd management protocols were in place that day.

The Railways has disbursed Rs 2 cr as ex gratia compensation Rs 10 lac each to the families of the deceased, Rs 2.5 lac to those grievously injured, and Rs 1 lac to those with minor injuries, benefiting 33 victims and their families.

In response to the tragedy, Indian Railways is implementing several crowd-control measures. These include permanent holding areas at 73 high-footfall stations like New Delhi, Anand Vihar, Varanasi, and Surat. Additionally, only passengers with confirmed reserved tickets will be allowed platform access, and unauthorised entry points will be sealed to prevent overcrowding.