Ndls stampede case: The Delhi High Court heard the death of people in a stampede at New Delhi railway station on Wednesday (February 19, 2025). The court has sought answers from Indian Railways. The High Court asked the high officials of the Railway Board to consider how such incidents can be stopped. At the same time, the court asked to implement the Railway Act with full sentiment. Now the next hearing of this case will be held on 26 March.
In the Delhi High Court, the petitioner said that according to the railway rules, the Railways should be ordered to implement the rules made to stop the congestion in the station and railway coaches. The petitioner also said that it is about the lives of citizens, Section 57 of the Railway Act should be fully implemented. The petitioner said that the Indian Railways has no arrangement to assess how many people are there at the station.
What did the court order?
A bench of Chief Justice DK Upadhyay and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela asked the concerned officials to present the details of their measures on these issues in their affidavit. The court ordered, ‘The issues raised in the petition should be investigated at the Railway Board at the high level and after that an affidavit should be filed on behalf of the defendant in which details of decisions can be given by the Railway Board.’
What did the central government say?
On the matter, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said that the matter has not been taken in a protest manner and the railway is bound to follow the law. The Center said that the Railways will definitely look at the issues. The Center further said that this is an unfortunate incident, loss of life cannot be made with compensation. He will file an affidavit in the Delhi High Court regarding this whole matter.
A PIL was also filed in the Supreme Court on 17 February in the case. In this incident, 18 people lost their lives and 15 were injured. Petitions have been filed and immediate action has been demanded to prevent such disasters in future.
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