Railways name members of committee formed to investigate NDLS stampede

Railways on Sunday announced the names of two high administrative group officials, who will be part of the inquiry committee constituted to probe the stampede at the New Delhi Railway station.

Narsingh Deo, Principal Chief Commercial Manager, Northern Railway and Pankaj Gangwar, Principal Chief Security Commissioner, Northern Railway are the members of the committee, the railways said.

The committee, which has commenced it inquiry, gave orders to secure all video footage of the New Delhi Railway Station.

The inquiry was ordered by the railways on Saturday after the stampede that left 18 people dead.

It was preceded by a swell in crowd of passengers waiting to board trains for Prayagraj -- where the Maha Kumbh is underway -- on platform number 14 and 15 of the station.

Northern Railway's Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Himanshu Upadhyay said that at the time of 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.

"Some people who were coming down from the footover bridge towards platform numbers 14 and 15 using stairs slipped and fell on others," he said, citing the cause of the stampede.

Sources said delays in train departures and the sale of 1,500 general tickets every hour may have created a chaotic situation at the New Delhi Railway station.