Stampedes: A Forgotten Threat in the World’s Most Populated Country
It is so painful to hear about the deaths in the stampede at the political meeting in Karur. So many different sides are being blamed — the police, the ruling party, Vijay and his cadres.
As we grew up, we’ve seen it everywhere — railway stations, temples, shops, theaters, bus stands. And as a generation, we’ve also developed a mindset of “beating the crowd” to save time and get ahead.
Today, we face stampedes in one form or another very often — in temples, at railway stations, festival grounds, political rallies and many other places. The numbers keep growing. Yet, despite how common it is, we are never prepared for the worst. Deaths make the news, but everyday stampedes cause serious injuries too.
Just a few months ago, during my temple visit in my small hometown for Vaikunta Ekadasi morning darshan, we experienced a mini stampede. More than half the crowd was above 40, many of them women. Imagine the agility of our people above 40 — some fell down and got stamped on. Even though the police kept repeating instructions on how to approach after the doors opened, hardly anyone followed. Again, it’s the mindset we’ve developed in this overcrowded country: always trying to push and beat others.
I am not trying to blame the people here. The truth is, there’s little awareness about stampedes in our society. We live in extreme density, but we are not prepared. Governments — past and present — should have known that stampedes are something to be expected. Public awareness about how to conduct ourselves safely in crowded places must be taught from school to workplace, and reinforced at every public gathering. We have awareness programs for diseases, birth control, cleanliness — why not for stampedes? Why aren’t there strict rules for places that host mass gatherings?
We are failing as a nation in this regard. As we grow into a forward-thinking, “smart” society, this should have been a priority long ago. At the very least, now must be the time. Let this be a wake-up call for governments, NGOs, journalists, and social media influencers to educate the public on safe conduct in crowds.
Stampedes must be reported more often, not just when lives are lost. Social media should discuss them, event organizers — whether successful or failed — must share their voices, and victims must be heard too. This would help create awareness and change our public behavior.
Remember some of the recent stampedes in the last few months that made national news — at Prayagraj (Maha Kumbh Mela), at Delhi railway station while boarding a Kumbh special train, at Bangalore during RCB’s victory rally, and at Tirumala Tirupathi temple ticket counter in Andhra Pradesh.
Crowd management is not only about avoiding deaths — it’s about preventing injuries, protecting property, and safeguarding public infrastructure. We are still far from achieving good-quality crowd management.
Let us all take responsibility, learn the lesson, and educate ourselves and others. Let us be conscious of stampedes. And let’s not forget — we are the most populated country in the world.
