Railway Shake-up Follows New Delhi Stampede

Five senior railway officials were transferred following a stampede at New Delhi Railway Station that killed 18 passengers heading to the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj. Although the official orders did not cite the tragedy as the reason, its timing suggests a link to the incident.

Five senior officials, including key figures such as the Delhi Divisional Railway Manager and the Assistant Security Commissioner of the Railway Protection Force, have been transferred just two weeks after a fatal stampede at New Delhi Railway Station. The tragic incident resulted in 18 deaths, with passengers en route to the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj.

Although the transfers were executed through administrative orders without citing reasons, officials acknowledge that the timing aligns closely with the stampede, suggesting a connection. 'The ministry seems to view this as a result of complacency and dereliction of duty,' stated a railway official, citing administrative decisions taken to reassess responsibilities.

New postings for these officials are yet to be announced. The Railway Board ordered the transfers of Sukhwinder Singh as DRM and Vikram Singh Rana as ADRM among others, filling their roles with senior personnel such as Pushpesh R Tripathi and Samir Kumar. The shift points to changes in accountability ahead of travel to major events such as the Maha Kumbh Mela.

(With inputs from agencies.)