'Lost Her Hand in Chaos': Husband’s Desperate Search for Missing Wife After New Delhi Railway Station stampede

New Delhi: Holding his mobile phone, 58-year-old Gupteshwar Yadav desperately searched for his wife after losing her in the deadly stampede at the New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday. The tragic incident left 18 people dead and several others injured, according to officials.

‘Lost Her Hand in Chaos’

Yadav, who came to Delhi with his wife and elder brother from Uttar Pradesh, recounted the terrifying moment when they were caught in the sudden rush at platform 13.

"We were waiting for the Prayagraj train when an announcement informed us it would now depart from platform 14. The chaos that followed left us in a panic," he said.

Holding his 56-year-old wife’s hand, Yadav tried to navigate through the crowd toward platform 14, but the surging rush of passengers separated them.

"The first thing we saw was a sea of heads, endless people trying to move towards platform 14. As we got closer, we got pushed from behind. In the commotion, I lost my wife’s hand. And since then, I have been searching for her," he said.

Hospitals Visited, But No Clue

Desperate to find his wife, Yadav visited LNJP Hospital, RML Hospital, and Lady Hardinge Medical College and Hospital, hoping she was among the injured. But he found no trace of her.

His younger brother, Cheteshwar Yadav, blamed railway authorities for the mismanagement.

"Not a single railway official was present to help during the chaos. No one stepped forward to assist the injured, who were screaming for help. Instead, many people from nearby platforms pulled out their mobile phones and started recording videos. It was the young passengers who tried to manage the crowd on their own," he claimed.

What Led to the Stampede?

According to police sources, two major trains—Swatantrata Senani Express and Bhubaneswar Rajdhani Express—were already delayed, leaving platforms 13, 14, and 15 overcrowded with restless passengers.

A sudden announcement about a special train to Prayagraj departing from platform 16 caused mass confusion.

"A train to Prayagraj was already at platform 14, where the Prayagraj Express usually departs. When the announcement about the special train came, many passengers assumed it was their train and rushed toward platform 16," police officials said.

The stampede occurred when some passengers slipped and fell while descending from the foot overbridge, leading to a domino effect of people falling over each other.

18 Dead, Several Injured Amid Maha Kumbh Rush

The New Delhi Railway Station was packed with devotees traveling to Prayagraj for the Maha Kumbh, leading to extreme congestion. Eighteen people lost their lives overnight, while more than a dozen others were injured.

As Gupteshwar Yadav continued his frantic search, authorities worked to identify victims and manage the aftermath of one of the worst railway station tragedies in recent years.