The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a
plea that sought directions to be given to authorities on crowd management,
claiming that over 200 people had died in a recent stampede at the New Delhi
railway station.
"Is there any proof that 200 have died?" a
bench of Justices B R Gavai and P K Mishra asked the counsel appearing for the
petitioner.
The counsel claimed several videos of the stampede
at the railway station were uploaded on X and the Railways has issued notices
to the witnesses who were present there.
"Those persons can approach the court,"
the bench said.
The bench asked whether the petitioner believed that
the concerned authorities were neglecting the issue.
The counsel said the petition was filed for proper
implementation of the National Disaster Management Act and relevant rules for
crowd management.
The bench dismissed the plea and said the petitioner
may approach the Delhi High Court with the grievance.
The counsel said the plea has arrayed all the states
and Union Territories as party respondents in the matter.
On February 19, the Delhi High Court had asked the
Railways to examine the fixing of maximum passengers and sale of platform
tickets -- issues raised in a PIL filed before it over the recent stampede at
the New Delhi railway station.
The high court had asked the authorities concerned
to state the details of decisions taken by it on these issues in its affidavit.
At least 18 people were killed in a stampede on
February 15 at the New Delhi Railway Station which witnessed a surge of
passengers waiting to board trains for Prayagraj -- where the Maha Kumbh was
underway.