Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has admitted to a stampede at New Delhi’s railway station, reversing the department’s initial claims that it was just a rumor. The admission came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh expressed condolences for the victims.
Vaishnaw tweeted about his condolences for the loss of lives in the stampede at 1:09 am on Sunday, stating that his prayers were with those affected. The minister’s earlier tweets suggested that the situation was under control and a high-level inquiry had been ordered.
The Delhi LG VK Saxena was the first to acknowledge casualties in the incident, but later edited his tweet to remove references to deaths. Eyewitnesses reported gross mismanagement and a lack of security personnel at the station, which contributed to the stampede.
Fifteen people, including three children, have died, and at least ten are injured. Many passengers who entered the station without valid tickets were among those affected. The surge was largely due to people bound for the Prayagraj Mahakumbh event.
Source: https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/india/after-railways-denial-vaishnaw-admits-to-stampede-condoles-deaths-after-rajnath-pm-modi