This document discusses the risk of human stampedes at mass gatherings in India. It notes that stampedes often occur during religious events and festivals that involve large crowds. The document then lists several deadly stampedes that have occurred in India, particularly during religious festivals like the Kumbh Mela. It also discusses current legislation in India related to crowd management and summaries findings from investigations into past stampede incidents. Finally, it emphasizes that effective crowd risk management, early warning systems, safety measures, and inter-agency coordination are needed to reduce risks of future stampedes at mass gatherings in India.

1. Madhukar Sanap
PhD Scholar, JTCDM, TISS, Mumbai
ROUND TABLE ON
“MASS GATHERING AND RISK OF STAMPEDE”
April 25th & 26th 2014
JT Center for Disatser Management, TISS,
Mumbai

2. Human stampedes most often occur during religious pilgrimages,
professional sporting, music events, rallys, protests, break down
out systems, natural & man-made disasters, etc as these events
tend to involve a large number of people. They also often occur in
times of mass panic as people try to get away.

3. “We learn from history that we do not learn from history”
Major Stampedes in India:
Stampedes during Kumbh Mela:
1954 Kumbh mela Stampede
1996 Ujjain and Haridwar
stampedes
2003 Kumbh Mela stampede in
Nashik (39 killed)
2010 Kumbh Mela in Haridwar (7
killed)
2013 Kumbh Mela stampede in
Allahabad (36 killed)

4. Ratangarh Mata Temple
Stampede (MP)
 2006 Ratangarh Mata Temple
(56 died)
 2013 Ratangarh Mata Temple
(115 died)
Sabarimala Stampede
(Kerala)
 1999 – Sabarimala Temple
(Kerala) (53 died)
 2011 - Sabarimala Temple
(Kerala) (116 died)

5. 2005 Chennai stampede
 November 2005 – Chennai
(relief distribution to flood affected people)
 December 2005 – Chennai (tokan
for relief measures distribution)
Stampedes In
Maharashtra
1994 – Gowari
Stampede, Napur
2005 –Mandher Devi
Temple, Wai Satara
2013 - Tuljabhavani
temple, Osmanabad
2014 - Spiritual leader
Syedna's funeral
Kumbh Melas (2003 &
2013)
1992 - Mahamaham Stampede
1997 - Uphaar Cinema Fire
2006 – Orrissa Temple
2008 - stampedes in the Naina Devi Temple
in Himachal Pradesh,
2008 - Chamunda Devi temple in Jodhpur,
2009 – New Delhi (5 School girls died)
2010 - stampede in the Janki Temple in
Pratapgarh and
2012 – Satsanga Deoghar
Many Stampedes at Lord Jagannath Temple

6. Some Facts..........
 India has a long history of stampede tragedies
 Human stampedes have been identified as a major
hazard that could occur during mass gathering
 Numbers of stampedes have been reported in India
especially due to the unmanageable mass gathering
during festivals, religious locations, public protests,
political rallies, etc.
 But also the reality is that these mass gathering has
become a way of life in India

7. Some of our current Legislations....
In India there are various legal provisions to regulate and manage crowd
 Disaster Management Act 2005,
 The Bombay Police Act, 1951
 The Police Act 1861,
 Madras City Police Act 1888,
 Kerala Police Act 2011,
 UP Melas Act 1938,
 Cinematograph Act 1952, and
 Delhi Cinematograph Rules 1953.
 Bombay Provincial Municipal Corporation Act. 1949
 Any many others
Authority:
Event Management will abide by all applicable legislations / regulations / norms
including Safety, Health and Welfare, licensing requirement of indoor /outdoor
events, Fire Services (responsibility for fire safety on persons in control of
premises), Waste Management etc. (NDMA Guidelines)

8. Judgements of High Courts .......
 Uphaar Cinema Tragedy (Delhi High Court Judgment, II (2003) ACC 114,
2003 ACJ 1631, 2003 IIIAD Delhi 321)
 Dabwali Fire tragedy (Decision of Punjab-Haryana High Court, 2009; Civil
Writ Petition No. 13214 of 1996)
 Kumbh Mela Stampede, Nashik (the Magisterial Enquiry Report)
 Shri Kalubai Yatra Mandhardev at Wai, Satara, Maharashtra (Justice Rajan
Kochar Commission of inquiry )
 Sabarimala Tragedy (Justice Chandrasekhara Menon Commission of Inquiry -
1999)
 After each incidents there has been Magisterial Enquiries and there detail
report has been submitted to concern State Government

9. Gaps in understanding the causes / Triggers ..........
 Structural collapses
 Fire/Electricity
 Crowd Control
 Crowd Behaviour
 Security related issuesand
 Lack of coordination between various line department and other
stakeholders

10. Risk Analysis and Preparedness
Prevention is better than cure
 Identify threats/causes
 Risk Assessment and Planning
 Overall location Development Plan (long term perspectives, Staging points
(queue complex), multiple routes)
 Information Management and Dissemination system
 Safety and Security Measures (role of security agencies)
 Effective use of early warning system
 Logistic, Transportation and Traffic Management

11.  No back up plans and compliance checking these things will
continue to happen
 Planning is the key
 Need to know on advance
 the size of the crowd,
 the capacity of the event,
 not just the size of the area but the capacity to manage that
crowd,
 Crowd stewards, (position of the role one who is in charge )
 monitoring potential changes in crowd behavior, and
 having sufficient entry and exit points are all crucial to
maintaining a safe event

12. Analyses stampede data from religious, entertainment and political gatherings over
the last few decades in India to derive an
Effective risk reduction framework for mass gatherings & Prioritizes
 This further prioritizes on
1. ‘Ensure that crowd risk management is a priority with a strong
institutional basis for implementation’.
2. ‘To identify, assess and monitor crowd risks and enhance early
warning systems along with ensuring other safety measures.
3. Use of knowledge, innovation and education to build a culture of
safety and resilience at all levels, reduce the underlying risk factors.
4. Strengthen disaster risk (possible stampedes risk) Preparedness for
effective response at all levels. and
5. Ensuring effective governance and better institutional arrangements
through Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)/ICS matter to crowd
risks, more effective disaster preparedness, setting up of early
warning systems and crowd risk management policy.

13. Efficient functioning of command and control is single
most important component of Crowd Management

14. WE HAVE LEGISLATIONS, PLANS, HUMAN RESOUR
FUND but still Vulnerable to RISK
Ensuring effective governance and better institutional
arrangements are the key of Planning