Blame game erupts over New Delhi station stampede: Mismanagement or population crisis?

As the dust settles on the tragic stampede at New Delhi Railway Station, where at least 18 people lost their lives on Saturday night, social media has turned into a battleground of blame. While some faulted

railway mismanagement

and poor

crowd control

, others pinned the tragedy on India's booming population, lack of travel discipline, and misinterpretation of announcements.
Confusion over platform change
Authorities denied that a last-minute platform change led to the chaos, insisting that passengers misunderstood an announcement for a "Prayagraj Special" train, mistakenly thinking their regular train had been shifted. But opposition leaders and many users online slammed the railways for failing to manage unreserved ticketing and deploying inadequate security forces.
Politics takes over

Congress and other opposition parties called for

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw

’s resignation, blaming the government for failing to ensure safe passage for Maha Kumbh pilgrims. Meanwhile, BJP supporters defended the authorities, arguing that Indians need to adopt better crowd etiquette and that population control laws should be prioritized.
Holy dip overshadows tragedy
As conflicting accounts emerged, government officials and influencers flooded social media with photos of the ongoing Maha Kumbh’s "holy dip," drawing criticism for ignoring the deadly stampede. Railways, after initially denying the tragedy, later acknowledged casualties and ordered a high-level inquiry.