The Indian Railways has announced ₹10 lakh compensation for the families of those who lost their lives in the tragic stampede at New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday night. Additionally, the railways will provide ₹2.5 lakh to those seriously injured and ₹1 lakh to victims with minor injuries.
Bihar Government’s Financial Assistance for Delhi Station Railways accident
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has also declared an ex gratia payment of ₹2 lakh each for the families of deceased victims from Bihar and ₹50,000 for the injured. In an official statement, the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) expressed deep sorrow over the incident, extending condolences to the affected families.
“The CM has expressed condolences over the casualties in the stampede at the New Delhi railway station. He is deeply saddened by the deaths of Bihar natives in the incident and announced an ex gratia of ₹2 lakh each to the immediate family members of the deceased and ₹50,000 for those who are injured,” the statement read.
Stampede at New Delhi Railway Station: What Happened?
At least 18 people lost their lives in the late-night stampede, while more than a dozen passengers sustained injuries at the overcrowded New Delhi Railway Station. The tragic event unfolded on platforms 14 and 15, where a massive rush of passengers was waiting to board trains headed to Prayagraj for the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela.
According to Northern Railway’s Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Himanshu Upadhyay, the incident occurred when:
- Passengers slipped while coming down from the footover bridge, leading to a pile-up.
- At the time, the Patna-bound Magadh Express was stationed at platform 14, and the New Delhi-Jammu Uttar Sampark Kranti Express was at platform 15.
Possible Causes of the Stampede
- Overcrowding: Reports suggest that 1,500 general tickets were sold every hour, leading to congestion.
- Train Delays: Some sources indicate that delays in train departures may have contributed to the chaos.
- Platform Confusion: There are also claims that a wrong announcement about platform changes led to panic and disorder.
The Railway Ministry has launched an inquiry into the incident, and officials are investigating the exact cause of the stampede.
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