Supreme Court declines to hear plea on New Delhi Railway Station stampede

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a petition seeking directives for improved crowd management following a recent stampede at the New Delhi Railway Station.

The plea, which claimed that over 200 people had lost their lives in the incident, was dismissed by a bench comprising Justices B R Gavai and P K Mishra.

During the hearing, the court questioned the petitioner's claim regarding the number of casualties, asking whether there was any concrete evidence to support the assertion that 200 people had died. The petitioner’s counsel argued that several videos of the incident had been circulated on social media platform X and that the Railways had issued notices to witnesses present at the scene.

In response, the bench stated that those directly affected by the incident could approach the court if necessary. Additionally, the court questioned whether the petitioner believed that authorities were neglecting their responsibilities in handling the matter.

The counsel clarified that the petition aimed to ensure the proper implementation of the National Disaster Management Act and relevant crowd management regulations. However, the Supreme Court declined to intervene, advising the petitioner to take the grievance to the Delhi High Court instead.

Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court had already taken steps to address the issue. On February 19, it directed the Railways to review policies on passenger limits and platform ticket sales. The court also instructed railway authorities to submit an affidavit detailing the measures being implemented to prevent overcrowding and similar incidents in the future.

The tragic stampede occurred on February 15 at the New Delhi Railway Station, where a massive rush of passengers had gathered to board trains bound for Prayagraj, the site of the ongoing Maha Kumbh festival. At least 18 people were reported dead in the chaos.