SC Dismisses Plea on New Delhi Railway Station Stampede, Asks Petitioner to Approach HC

The Supreme Court of India, on Friday, February 8, dismissed a petition concerning the New Delhi Railway Station stampede. Notably, the petition was filed in light of the tragic stampede that struck the New Delhi railway station on 15 February, which claimed the lives of at least 18 people and left 15 others injured. The stampede occurred when some passengers began to slip on a footbridge between the platforms.

A division bench led by Justice B.R. Gavai, after briefly hearing the petitioner, Anand Legal Aid Forum Trust, dismissed the plea.

The bench, also comprising Justice P.K. Mishra, accordingly asked the petitioner to approach the Delhi High Court in this regard.

During the hearing today, the petitioner contended before the bench that the railway administration had been hiding the real number of deaths that took place during the stampede.

The petitioner further sought a CBI inquiry against the Railway officials, adding that there were almost 200 deaths and that ex gratia compensation had not been provided to any of the victims' families.

In response, the bench questioned the petitioner, asking whether they had come across anyone who had not received the ex gratia payment.

"Let the affected people come before the court", the court remarked before dismissing the petition.

On 20 February, the Delhi High Court questioned the Railways over failure to implement measures to prevent such incidents. The court further directed the Railways to file a short affidavit and renotified the matter for March 26, 2025.

The petition, filed by Arth Vidhi, a public-spirited organisation, highlighted the gross negligence and administrative lapses that led to the tragic loss of at least 18 lives and injuries to numerous passengers.

Relying on reports from The Economic Times, The Hindustan Times, and The Indian Express, the petitioner submitted that the incident resulted from miscommunication regarding train arrivals, inadequate crowd control, and the station's failure to provide basic safety measures.

Case Title: ANAND LEGAL FORUM TRUST vs UNION OF INDIA AND ORS