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Days after 18 people were killed during a stampede at the New Delhi Railway Station, postmortem reports have revealed that 15 of the victims died as a result of traumatic asphyxia caused by blunt force injury to their chest. While two others died due to hemorrhagic shock as a result of blunt force impact to the chest, one died due to a head injury from blunt surface impact.
After the Ministry of Railways set up a two-member high-level committee to investigate the incident, the committee, in an official communication, had sought all the postmortem reports from the Delhi Police.
After the stampede on the night of February 15, 10 of the deceased were sent to Maulana Azad Medical College, five to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, and three to Lady Hardinge Medical College for postmortem examinations, which were conducted between 2.30 am and 7 am last Sunday.
Regarding the 15 victims who died of traumatic asphyxia, the reports said, “Their injuries are antemortem in nature, fresh in duration and caused by blunt force impact, and could be possible in the manner as alleged.”
In all the reports, it has been mentioned in the brief history column as per inquest papers that the deceased fell unconscious following a stampede at foot overbridge (FOB) 3 in New Delhi Railway Station on February 15 around 9 pm.
“The cause of death of two victims… is hemorrhagic shock and its complication as a result of injury over right lung and heart consequent upon blunt force impact to chest,” the reports stated.
In regard to one victim, doctors said the cause of death was cerebral injury and damage to the lungs as a result of blunt surface impact to the head and chest.
Following the postmortem examinations, when the families of the deceased had arrived at the hospitals to collect the bodies on Sunday morning, the Ministry of Railways handed over wads of cash – in bundles of notes of Rs 100 and 50 – after announcing that it would provide Rs 10 lakh ex-gratia to the kin of the deceased. Further, the Railways assisted the families of each of the deceased by deputing security personnel to ensure they got home safely with both the mortal remains and the cash.
What set off the stampede was an announcement about a change in the departure platform of a special train to Prayagraj for the Maha Kumbh, according to a report prepared by an inspector-rank officer of the Railway Protection Force (RPF). “… around 8.45 pm, an announcement was made that Kumbh Special going to Prayagraj would depart from Platform 12, but after some time, another announcement was made that the Kumbh Special would leave from Platform 16, due to which a stampede situation arose among passengers,” the report stated.
The report will be taken as an input by the RPF, which is preparing a final report to be submitted to the two-member committee.
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