Editorial: Hathras tragedy

High incidence of stampedes highlights the need for effective crowd management in the country

It was a tragedy waiting to happen. Over 2.5 lakh people crammed into a closed tent, without multiple exits, for a religious gathering that had permission for only 80,000 people. It would be a miracle if disasters did not happen at such recklessly unsafe events. The death of 121 people — most of them women and children — in a stampede during ‘satsang’ in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras came as a grim reminder of the pathetic standards of crowd management in India. The Hathras tragedy was a result of the callous indifference of the organisers towards basic safety norms. A large number of people thronged the site to seek the blessings of the self-styled godman Bhole Baba, revered by his followers as a healer with magical powers who could even bring the dead back to life. It is a tragic irony that this preacher fled the scene to save his own life, instead of using his so-called magical powers to prevent his devotees from dying. Stringent action must be taken against Bhole Baba and his organisation for their failure to ensure safety norms. What is appalling is that he has not been named as an accused in the FIR booked in connection with the stampede. It is unfortunate that such self-styled godmen continue to thrive by capitalising on superstitions prevailing in society. Deadly crowd surges are fairly common in India, especially during religious festivals where huge gatherings are held often in cramped areas with shoddy infrastructure and few safety measures. The high incidence of such stampedes highlights the need for effective crowd management in the country.

One of the last major stampedes occurred in 2013 when pilgrims visiting a temple for a popular festival in Madhya Pradesh trampled each other amid fears that a bridge would collapse. At least 115 were crushed to death or drowned in the river. The stampede at Allahabad railway station during Kumbh Mela in February 2013 left 36 dead. The guidelines of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in this regard should be strictly followed. A decade ago, the NDMA had brought out a guide on managing crowds at events and venues of mass gatherings. This document was aimed at spurring State governments, local authorities and organisers to adopt an integrated and structured approach to crowd and disaster management. The NDMA had stated that man-made tragedies such as stampedes could be prevented with ‘proactive planning and flawless execution by dedicated groups with well-trained personnel’. However, all this was conspicuous by its absence at the Hathras event. Giving misleading estimates about the size of the congregation is a common ploy to get the administration’s nod. At times, bribes are given to get the permissions. The authorities should exercise due diligence and conduct spot inspections before granting permission. Exemplary action must be taken against those whose negligence puts lives on the line.

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