Authorities from the Indian Railways distributed large quantities of cash outside the mortuaries of three Delhi hospitals to family members of victims killed in Saturday night’s stampede.

Wads of cash – up to Rs 10 lakh each – were handed over to each family of the dead.

According to the 2023 guidelines governing the distribution of ex-gratia amounts, the Railways can only give up to Rs 50,000 in cash for “immediate relief”. The rest must be paid through cheque, RTGS, NEFT or other online payment modes. 

The guidelines say: 

Maximum amount of upto Rs. 50,000/- to be paid in cash as an immediate relief for taking care of initial expenses. Remaining amount to be paid by Account Payee Cheque/RTGS/NEFT/Any other online payment mode. Railways may disburse the entire amount of ex-gratia/enhanced ex-gratia by Account Payee Cheque/RTGS/NEFT/Any other online payment mode, if deemed appropriate.

At least 18 people were killed in the stampede at the New Delhi Railway Station. By noon on Sunday, almost all the bodies were picked up from the three hospitals – Dr Ram Manohar Lohia hospital, Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narain hospital, and Lady Hardinge hospital – and transported by families to their respective homes. 

Later that day, the Railways announced ex-gratia amounts of Rs 10 lakh to each of the families of those who died, Rs 2.5 lakh to those grievously injured, and Rs 1 lakh for “simple” injuries. We calculated that a total of Rs 1.99 crore was distributed to the injured and relatives of the dead – Rs 1.8 crore alone went to the families of the 18 who died. 

Himanshu Upadhyay, the chief public relations officer of Northern Railways, confirmed to Newslaundry that the ex-gratia amount was paid to all the families in cash. 

“Everyone was given cash without waiting for online payment. Those who were eligible for Rs 10 lakh were also given cash,” he said. 

When Newslaundry asked him about the 2023 rules, Upadhyay said, “Part of the money given to families was ex-gratia and the rest compensation.” 

When Newslaundry asked Upadhyay how much of the cash constituted ex-gratia and compensation, he replied, “Let me check and get back to you.” However, the Railways’s press release talks only about ex-gratia, and not compensation. 

Newslaundry also sent Upadhyay a questionnaire on whether the distributions violate the 2023 guidelines, or if it’s unusual for a family to receive Rs 10 lakh in cash. He hasn’t replied yet; this report will be updated if he does.

Another Railways official said, on condition of anonymity, that cash was given as it was available immediately with the Railways. “It was done with an aim to provide immediate relief without delay,” the official said. 

Newslaundry also spoke to families of six people who died during the stampede. Most of the victims were heading to Prayagraj to attend the Maha Kumbh. 

Raju Kumar, who runs a grocery story in Bijwasan in Delhi, said his uncle Prabhu Shah was handed over Rs 10 lakh in cash after his 24-year-old daughter, Baby Kumari, was killed. The amount was handed over outside the mortuary of Lady Hardinge hospital at 4 am on Sunday. 

“It was done to close the matter as soon as possible,” he said, adding that his Shah, was transporting his daughter’s body back to their hometown of Motihari in Bihar. Newslaundry was shown a photo of Shah receiving the money from a Railways official just before the body was handed over. 

Sandesh Kushwaha, whose 47-year-old cousin Manoj Kushwaha was killed in the stampede, also confirmed that a Railways officer handed over Rs 10 lakh cash at 5 am at Lady Hardinge hospital. 

Raj Kumar, whose daughter Pooja Kumar was killed, said he was given “only Rs 5 lakh at 4 am”. 

Mohit Mallik, whose wife Sangeeta Mallik, 35, was killed, said he received Rs 10 lakh in cash outside the mortuary of Ram Manohar Lohia hospital at 9 am. 

Virendra Singh, whose wife Poonam, 34, was killed, told Newslaundry he was handed what an official said was Rs 10 lakh in cash outside Ram Manohar Lohia hospital’s mortuary at 6.30 am. “I am yet to count it,” he added. 

Dharmendra Tiwari, additional director general of the Press Information Bureau and the PIB official in charge of the Railways Ministry, told Newslaundry that the ex-gratia was announced at around 11 am. 

Why then were amounts in cash being distributed much before the announcement?

Tiwari said, “Even if it was told to the media later, we had started executing the order. So, we had started handing out the amounts at 4 am.”

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