Railway Ministry Orders ‘X’ To Remove New Delhi Stampede Videos Within 36 Hours; Opposition Calls It Censorship

The Railway Ministry has issued a formal notice to social media platform ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) demanding the removal of at least 285 videos and media links related to the deadly stampede at New Delhi Railway Station on February 15. This marks one of the first major actions by the ministry since it was granted direct powers to take down online content in December. The notice, sent on February 17, cites ethical concerns over the circulation of videos depicting the bodies of the victims—at least 18 of whom lost their lives, including 11 women and four children. Most of the deceased were pilgrims traveling to the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj.

The Railway Ministry has given ‘X’ a 36-hour deadline to comply, warning that the spread of such content could incite “public unrest” and disrupt railway operations during a period of heavy traffic. The notice further states that the media in question contains “sensitive or disturbing media depicting deceased individuals,” urging ‘X’ to take down any content that may violate the platform’s own content policies, as well as ethical norms.

“This is not only against the ethical norms but also against the content policy of x.com itself as sharing such video may create unwarranted law and order situation,” the notice reads, as reported by ‘The Hindustan Times’.

While the ministry’s action reflects its growing role in content regulation, critics argue it’s a distraction from more pressing issues surrounding the incident itself.

Censorship or Ethical Responsibility?

The Ministry’s intervention comes on the heels of a deadly stampede at New Delhi Railway Station, where overcrowding and mismanagement led to a tragic loss of life. Opposition parties have raised questions over the government’s priorities, accusing it of trying to bury the truth behind a curtain of censorship instead of addressing the root causes of the disaster.

"Why is the Railway Ministry focusing on deleting videos instead of fixing the crumbling infrastructure that led to this tragedy?" Trinamool Congress (TMC) wrote in a tweet on ‘X’. "BJP’s ‘Vikas’ is built on corpses! This is murder by negligence, and they want to silence it! SHAMEFUL."

The opposition’s criticism highlights the ongoing frustration with the government's handling of public safety issues, especially in light of the fact that the stampede was reportedly triggered by overcrowding due to excessive ticket sales. While the ministry claims the incident occurred because of an influx of passengers traveling to Prayagraj for the Maha Kumbh, many are questioning why the Railways sold tickets beyond the capacity of the trains.'

The Stampede: A Preventable Tragedy?

On February 15, as thousands of pilgrims gathered on platforms 14 and 15 to board trains for Prayagraj, panic ensued, leading to a fatal stampede. Among the victims were several women and children, all part of the massive crowds attempting to make their way to the religious gathering.

The Supreme Court has since stepped in, with Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela expressing alarm over the lax crowd management practices at the station. The bench highlighted the sale of excess tickets—far beyond the capacity of the trains—and questioned the Railways’ failure to manage such a large-scale event.

The Court has ordered the Railway Board to investigate the incident and submit a detailed affidavit outlining corrective measures.
"The sale of excess tickets has led to overcrowding and a serious lapse in crowd management," the bench remarked, underlining the systemic flaws that contributed to the tragedy.

Government’s Content Control: A Pattern?

This latest notice to ‘X’ is not the first time the Railway Ministry has used its new powers to control online content. Earlier in January, the ministry issued similar warnings to platforms like YouTube and Instagram, demanding the removal of content it deemed "misleading" or "provocative" in nature. In that case, the notice was aimed at specific posts, including one YouTube video and two Instagram reels, although it was not tied to a particular incident.

The repeated focus on content removal has raised concerns among civil rights groups, who argue that the government is more concerned with suppressing public outrage than addressing the underlying issues of public safety and accountability.​