India, Feb. 16 -- The fire services department was the first responder when the stampede was reported at the New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday night. The first two units of the department rushed from the closest Rani Jhansi Road station but got stuck in traffic around Desh Bandhu Gupta Road, prompting the Connaught Place station to dispatch two teams to the New Delhi Railway station via Ranjit Singh Flyover.

Rajinder Atwal, an official whose team rushed from Connaught Place, said he saw thousands of slippers and sandals on the stairs to platform 14/15. "On the platform, there was still a large crowd. I keep going to the railway station regularly but have never seen such a crowd in my life."

He said there was no train on platform 14 ...