Key Points
18 people killed in New Delhi railway station stampede
Maha Kumbh Mela crowd surge caused accident
Railways to compensate victims' families
Inquiry ordered by Ashwini Vaishnaw
Athawale said: "An accident occurred at New Delhi Railway Station, and we express our sorrow over it. It is a very unfortunate incident. A similar situation had occurred earlier in Prayagraj when the railway administration decided to run special trains for the convenience of the people. As soon as the announcement was made, people rushed excitedly, causing chaos, which led to the accident."
He added: "In this incident, some people lost their lives, and many were injured. I believe that the administration needs to take more precautions to prevent such accidents. The railway minister has taken cognisance of this incident, and strict action will be taken against anyone found responsible. Our Railway Minister, Ashwini Vaishnaw, is an active and responsible minister. He has ordered an inquiry into the incident, and action will be taken against any officials found at fault."
Athawale also responded to the opposition's demand for the resignation of the Railway Minister. He said, "The opposition keeps demanding the removal of the minister, but I think this is not appropriate. The minister has already ordered a thorough investigation, and strict action will be taken against those responsible. Removing the minister will not resolve the issue. We all need to work calmly. Our lives are invaluable, and we must avoid putting them at risk."
He also mentioned that the Railway Ministry has announced a compensation of 10 lakh rupees for the families of the deceased and stated that the railway administration needs to take special care to prevent such incidents in the future.
At least 18 people, including five children, were killed and over a dozen were injured in a stampede at New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday night, which was caused by a sudden surge of passengers waiting to board trains for Prayagraj, where the Maha Kumbh Mela is underway.
After the incident, the Railways arranged special trains to reduce crowd pressure on the platform and ordered a high-level inquiry into the incident.
The Railways announced a compensation of 10 lakh rupees for the families of the deceased, 2.5 lakh rupees for those seriously injured, and 1 lakh rupees for those with minor injuries.
