The Supreme Court dismissed a petition regarding the stampede at New Delhi Railway Station on February 15. The petition, filed by the Anand Legal Aid Forum Trust, alleged that the railway administration was hiding the actual death toll, which was reported as 18. The petitioners also claimed that, according to eyewitnesses, around 200 deaths occurred during the stampede.
The Court questioned whether the petitioners were implying that the state government was completely ignoring this issue. The Court also asked for evidence to support the claim of 200 deaths. After a brief hearing, the Court dismissed the petition and remarked that affected individuals should approach the Court directly.
The lawyer representing the petitioners stated that the petition was filed under the National Disaster Management Act and the appropriate implementation of crowd management rules. The petition included all relevant states and union territories as parties. The Bench remarked that the petitioners could approach the Delhi High Court with their complaint.
Earlier, on February 19, the Delhi High Court had directed the railway authorities to determine the maximum number of passengers allowed and review the sale of platform tickets. These issues were raised in a public interest petition regarding the stampede at New Delhi Railway Station. The High Court had asked the relevant authorities to provide information on the decisions taken regarding these matters in their affidavits.
Details of the February 15 Incident
On the evening of February 15, a stampede occurred at New Delhi Railway Station around 9:30 PM, resulting in the death of 18 people, mostly women and children. The stampede was triggered by a large crowd of people traveling to the Kumbh Mela, combined with the presence of other passengers. The crowd control went awry due to the delayed arrival of two trains, leading to chaos. The entire incident unfolded in just 10 minutes, with a lack of coordination from the authorities and confusion among passengers leading to this tragic accident.
Government Announces Compensation
The government announced compensation for the families of the victims who lost their lives in the stampede. Railway officials stated that families of the deceased would receive ₹10 lakh each, the seriously injured would get ₹2.5 lakh, and those with minor injuries would receive ₹1 lakh.
Investigation Committee Formed
The railway authorities have formed a two-member committee to investigate the stampede. The committee includes Narsingh Dev, PCCM/North Railway, and Pankaj Gangwar, PCSCC/North Railway.
