Railways asks X to remove stampede videos in 36 hrs, cites ethical concerns

The notice said that sharing such videos could lead to public unrest and disrupt railway operations, particularly during the current period of heavy train traffic

The Ministry of Railways has instructed X (formerly Twitter) to remove 285 social media links featuring videos of the February 15 stampede at New Delhi Railway Station, The Hindustan Times reported. This is among the ministry’s first major actions since it was granted direct content takedown powers in December.

 

Citing ethical concerns and X’s content policies, the ministry issued a notice on February 17, giving the platform 36 hours to comply. The notice stated that sharing such videos could lead to public unrest and disrupt railway operations, particularly during the current period of heavy train traffic.

 

The directive also targeted multiple accounts, including those of major news organisations. The notice stated that the videos contained “sensitive or disturbing media depicting deceased individuals.”

 

Previous actions on social media

 

This is not the first time the ministry has exercised its takedown authority. In January, it sent a similar notice to YouTube and Instagram, asking them to remove content that contained “misleading and provocative information” that could disturb public order.

 

The January notice cited one YouTube video, one Instagram post, and two Instagram reels. Meta, the parent company of Instagram, confirmed that it had taken action after receiving a valid legal request.

 

New Delhi Railway Station stampede: Delhi HC hears case

 

Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court on Thursday (February 20) directed the Railways to review issues related to passenger limits and platform ticket sales. The court made the observation while hearing a public interest petition concerning the recent stampede.

 

A bench led by Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela expressed concern that crowd management regulations had not been properly enforced. The judges questioned why the number of tickets sold often exceeded the capacity of train coaches.

 

The court has ordered the Railway Board to examine the matter and submit an affidavit outlining the steps it plans to take.

 

The stampede at New Delhi Railway Station claimed at least 18 lives. The incident occurred as large crowds gathered on platforms 14 and 15 to board trains heading to Prayagraj, where the Maha Kumbh is taking place.