While speaking to India Today TV, Northern Railways Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyay said that the stampede broke out as an unprecedented number Maha Kumbh devotees gathered at platform 14 to board the Prayagraj Express.
"I want to make it clear that no scheduled train's platform was changed, and no train was cancelled. In fact, five to six special trains were introduced in the evening to manage the rush," Upadhyay said.
The railways official also said that the situation went out of control after a passenger slipped and fell on the stairs leading to platforms 14 and 15. "A passenger coming towards platforms 14-15 slipped and fell on the stairs, and many passengers standing behind him were hit, and this tragic incident took place," he added.
Meanwhile, some sources said delays in train departures and the sale of over 1,500 general tickets every hour at the railway station may have created a chaotic situation.
Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has announced compensation of Rs 10 lakh for the families of those killed, Rs 2.5 lakh for those seriously injured, and Rs 1 lakh for those with minor injuries.
The stampede broke out at around 9.55 pm on Saturday night when a sea of passengers, mostly Maha Kumbh devotees, rushed to board trains to Prayagraj.
Trinamool Congress leaders on Sunday accused the Centre of trying to cover up the stampede at the New Delhi railway station and demanded that Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw be sacked.
"The tragic loss of 18 lives in the Delhi stampede is deeply heartbreaking. This painful incident highlights the importance of careful planning and management, especially when it comes to the safety of citizens," she said.
"Pilgrims on their way to the Maha Kumbh should have been met with proper support and facilities, not distress. It is essential to ensure that such journeys are safe and well-organised," she added.
TMC state general secretary Kunal Ghosh termed the incident "unfortunate, condemnable, and a result of gross mismanagement" by the railways.
"This is yet another example of the utter failure to ensure passenger safety. Reserved coaches are being occupied by outsiders, chaos is rampant, and now we have this horrific stampede. The Railway Minister is only interested in publicity! How many more lives must be lost before he realises he has no moral right to continue in office?" he said.
TMC Rajya Sabha deputy leader Sagarika Ghose accused the government of "callously playing with the lives of Indian citizens" and called it "tragic beyond words".
"First Narendra Modi and his BJP deny any stampede. Then they call it a rumour. Then they admit a 'few people' 'injured'. Then BJP is forced accept a 'few' "may have" died," Ghose said in a post on X.
"The jumla party and its jumla government keeps covering up deaths and tragedy again and again and callously playing with the lives of Indian citizens. The 'minimum governance, maximum publicity' mantra of the Modi government is again exposed by the shocking New Delhi station stampede. Tragic beyond words," she said.
TMC Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale demanded that Vaishnaw should either be sacked or resign, as he slammed the Railways for trying to "cover up" the incident.
"Extremely shocked to hear about the deaths of 17 people and injuries sustained by many during the tragic stampede at New Delhi Railway Station last night. My condolences to the families of the deceased and praying for a swift recovery of those injured," Gokhale said in a post on X.
"For hours after the stampede, Railways kept denying it and said it 'was a rumour'. This was a brazen attempt at cover-up until the bodies started showing up," he said.
"Modi's part-time Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, yet again, has blood on his hands," he charged.
"If Vaishnaw has any sense of responsibility, he must resign. If PM Modi has even an iota of shame or concern for people's lives, he must sack Ashwini Vaishnaw immediately," he said.
"Heads must roll! Lives of India cannot be treated so cheaply," he said.
The TMC MP said this is the second Kumbh related stampede, and accused the Uttar Pradesh government of making the Kumbh Mela a "PR activity".
"This is a disaster that was preventable - we have been seeing images and videos every day of extremely crowded trains going to Prayagraj with Kumbh pilgrims. The sacred Kumbh Mela has been turned into a PR activity by the Modi and Yogi Government," he said.
Noting that this is the second case of deaths due to Kumbh-related stampedes, he said millions of people have been encouraged to rush to Prayagraj without making arrangements for logistics or their safety.
He added the situation of Indian Railways has been worsening everyday.
"There have been an increasing number of deaths on Indian Railways and the situation continues to worsen every day. And yet, the minister prefers to share video reels than address the problems of safety and overcrowding," he said.
Northern Railway's chief public relations officer (CPRO) Himanshu Upadhyay said at the time of the incident, the Patna-bound Magadh Express was standing at platform number 14 and the New Delhi-Jammu Uttar Sampark Kranti Express was stationed at platform number 15.
The stampede occurred on foot-overbridges connecting platforms 14 and 15 at New Delhi railway station when some passengers slipped while descending, causing panic and a deadly crush, a senior railway official said.
At least 18 people were killed and more than a dozen injured in the stampede at the New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday night. Railway Minister Vaishnaw has ordered an inquiry and set up a two-member high-level committee to investigate the lapses.
On Sunday morning, the New Delhi Railway Station in India's capital looked much like it always does: bustling, with its many platforms full of eager, impatient passengers waiting to catch their trains.
But on Saturday night, a deadly crush - reportedly caused by overcrowding - killed at least 18 people and left several injured.
According to officials, two trains had been delayed at the station, while a third - heading to Prayagraj city where the massive Hindu religious festival, Kumbh Mela, is being held - was waiting to depart as people pushed against each other.
The crush occurred after "a passenger slipped and fell on the stairs", a spokesperson for Indian Railways said.
Opposition leaders have criticised the government, alleging that Indian Railways did not make adequate arrangements to manage crowds at the station.
An investigation has been launched, and authorities have announced compensation for the victims.
When asked by the BBC about safety and security at the station, Pankaj Gangwar, Principal Chief Security Commissioner of Northern Railway, said "let the investigation be completed first".
Crushes like these are not unheard of in India, where there is frequent overcrowding at religious events, festivals and public spaces. Last month, 30 people were killed and dozens injured in a crush at the Kumbh Mela.
Crowds at the railway station were also not unexpected - trains are by far the cheapest long-distance mode of transport in India and it is common for the number of passengers to far exceed the capacity of trains.
The image shows two women, Shilam Devi and Pinky Devi in traditional Indian red sarees. The two women died in the crush at New Delhi railway station.
Shilam Devi (left) and Pinky Devi were among 18 people who died in the crush
Eyewitnesses and the families of victims have been recounting their ordeal. Many of them were angry at authorities and police officials at the railway station, who they say did not act in time.
Some eyewitnesses said the crush was not limited to one place but took place on the overhead bridge, staircases and platforms.
Bipin Jha was at the station to meet his wife Mamta, who was arriving on a train. She died in the crush.
"I met her at the platform and we were walking on the footbridge overhead when she was trapped in the crush. She died in front of my eyes. I will live my life with the guilt of not saving her," he says.
"We were on the stairs, suddenly we felt a push from behind. We fell, along with many others, and were trapped under bodies. I was barely breathing," said Seema, whose sister-in law Pinky Devi died on the staircase.
Usha Devi, who was travelling to the eastern state of Bihar for her nephew's wedding, said chaos erupted the moment she reached the platform.
"Many people fell. Everywhere, there were scattered belongings, food items and clothes. I was on the verge of fainting. So many people were collapsing. The crowd was so dense that we couldn't board our train."
Abhinav Goel The image shows Umesh Giri whose wife Shilam Devi died in the Delhi crush wearing a maroon cap and a green jacket. Abhinav Goel
Umesh Giri, whose wife Shilam Devi died in the crush, says the crowd was uncontrollable.
Umesh Giri's wife Shilam Devi was among the victims.
"The crowd became uncontrollable," he told BBC Hindi while waiting outside the mortuary at Delhi's Maulana Azad Medical College.
"I saw several bodies already lying there. People were colliding with each other, and others started falling over them," said Mr Giri, who was also injured.
He added that help took time to arrive and that he pleaded with officers for help.
Senior police and railway officials at the scene did not respond to the BBC's request for comment.
A blurry late night image of the Lok Nayak Hospital, with crowds in the foreground and police personnel guarding the barricade.
The bodies were taken to Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) Hospital in New Delhi
Most of the victims were taken to the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Hospital in New Delhi, where police and paramilitary forces were deployed, and railway authorities had set up a help desk to assist families. Journalists were not allowed to enter the hospital on Saturday.
Relatives of victims shared their grief with reporters waiting outside, while also expressing anger at the facilities in the hospital.
"Multiple people were crammed onto a single bed," alleged Shobha, the sister-in-law of Shilam Devi.
Others coming out of the hospital also confirmed this. Hospital authorities did not respond to the BBC's request for comment.
At Lady Hardinge Hospital, the grieving family of Riya, 7, completed the paperwork so they could receive her body.
