After Railway’s denial, Vaishnaw admits to stampede, condoles deaths after Rajnath, PM Modi

After a major flip-flop about the scale of the tragedy at the New Delhi railway station, it was only at 1.09 am on Sunday that Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw admitted to a stampede at the National Capital’s train station.

Vaishnaw’s tweet and condolences about loss of lives in the stampede came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s post at 12.56 am and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s condolence post at 12.13 am.

“Deeply saddened by the unfortunate stampede that occurred at New Delhi Railway Station. My prayers are with all those who have lost their loved ones. The entire team is working to assist all those who have been affected by this tragic incident,” said Vaishnaw at 1.09 am after posting other tweets suggesting the situation was under control, a high-level enquiry had been ordered and four trains had been run to ease the sudden rush.

It was Delhi LG VK Saxena whose X post first acknowledged casualties in the incident. Saxena later edited his tweet to delete the references to deaths.

All through preliminary news of a lethal stampede at the station, the Railways suggested the stampede was a rumour.

The Northern Railways earlier denied any stampede-like situation and termed it a rumour.

“There is no stampede (at New Delhi Railway Station). It is only a rumour. Northern Railways was running two planned special trains (for Prayagraj),” the Chief Public Relations Officer of the Northern Railways said in a statement.

Eye witnesses at the station mentioned gross mismanagement, absence of railway or other security personnel as disturbing images of people being trampled upon went viral.

Fifteen people, including three children, have died and at least ten are grievously injured.

Many people at the platform said they had entered the station without valid tickets.

The surge was of passengers bound for Prayagraj Mahakumbh.