At least 18 people lost their lives in a tragic stampede at New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday (Feb 15) night, triggered by overcrowding due to delayed trains and the arrival of a special Express train for Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj.

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Among the victims, 11 were women and four were children. Several others sustained injuries and were rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment.

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Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the stampede, but conflicting accounts from officials and eyewitnesses have added to the confusion. Three key theories have emerged regarding the incident.

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Last-minute platform change

Some eyewitnesses claimed that an unexpected platform change for the special train to Prayagraj caused panic, leading to the deadly rush.

Poonam Devi, who had come to collect the body of a deceased relative at LNJP Hospital, recalled, "There was suddenly an announcement that the train would arrive at platform 14. People started running, and there was a stampede."

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She added, "We were travelling to Chhapra, Bihar, but I don’t know which train I was supposed to board. I only came here after hearing that the bodies were kept at the hospital."

However, railway officials have denied any last-minute platform changes.

Also read: 'Panic broke after sudden announcement', Eyewitnesses, railway authorities offer conflicting accounts of deadly stampede

Confusion between two ‘Prayagraj’ trains

According to the initial police investigation, the stampede may have been caused by passengers mixing up two trains with similar names: 'Prayagraj Express and Prayagraj Special.'

The announcement of the Prayagraj Special arriving at Platform 16 reportedly led to panic among passengers who were waiting for Prayagraj Express at Platform 14. Some travellers, fearing they might miss their train, rushed toward platform 16, worsening the crowd surge.

Delhi Police said, "There were four other trains heading to Prayagraj, and three of them were delayed, which led to unexpected overcrowding."

Also read: PM Modi expresses distress over New Delhi Railway Station stampede that killed 18

Passenger slipped on stairs

A different explanation was provided by a senior railway official, who suggested that the stampede was triggered when a passenger slipped on a stairway leading to platforms 14 and 15.

Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyay, Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of Northern Railway, explained, "When the incident happened, the Magadh Express to Patna was at platform 14, and the Uttar Sampark Kranti to Jammu was at platform 15. A passenger slipped on the stairs, and the people behind him lost balance, leading to the tragic stampede."

He further said, "No train was cancelled, nor was there any platform change. A high-level committee is investigating the matter, and normal operations have resumed at the station."

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Railways launches high-level investigation

To uncover the exact cause of the disaster, the Railways has set up a two-member high-level committee. The investigation is being led by Narsingh Deo, Principal Chief Commercial Manager of Northern Railway, and Pankaj Gangwar, Principal Chief Security Commissioner of Northern Railway.

The committee has ordered the retrieval of all CCTV footage from the railway station to aid in the probe.

Authorities are expected to release their findings soon, as families of the victims demand answers.

(With inputs from agencies)