New Delhi Railway Stampede
What caused the stampede at New Delhi railway station that killed 18 people?
The stampede was triggered by conflicting announcements about a Kumbh special train's departure platform. Initially, passengers were informed at 8:45pm that the train would depart from platform 12, but soon after, another announcement stated it would leave from platform 16 instead. According to the Railway Protection Force (RPF) inquiry report, this confusion created chaos as passengers rushed between platforms, resulting in a deadly stampede situation. The report specifically flagged these lapses in communication as the critical factor that led to the tragic incident on January 15, which claimed 18 lives.
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WION
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What did the RPF inquiry report reveal about the New Delhi railway station stampede?
The RPF inquiry report, prepared by the inspector in charge, directly contradicts Indian Railways' official position regarding the tragic stampede that killed 18 people on January 15. While Indian Railways had claimed no announcements were made about the Kumbh special train's platform change, the RPF report states otherwise. The investigation found that conflicting announcements about the train's departure platform (specifically platform 16) created confusion and chaos among passengers. This miscommunication appears to have been a critical factor triggering the deadly stampede at New Delhi railway station.
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What caused the deadly stampede at New Delhi railway station on January 15?
According to the Railway Protection Force (RPF) inquiry report, the stampede was triggered by conflicting platform announcements for a Kumbh special train to Prayagraj. Initially, passengers were informed around 8:45pm that the train would depart from platform number 12, but shortly afterward, another announcement stated the train would leave from platform number 16 instead. This sudden platform change created chaos as crowds attempted to navigate the narrow foot over bridges between platforms, resulting in people falling and being trampled. The report contradicts Indian Railways' earlier claim that no platform change announcements were made, highlighting serious communication failures that directly led to the tragedy which claimed 18 lives.
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