Worst stampedes in Bengaluru: A quick glance

11 people died and 33 injured following a stampede near the Chinnaswamy Cricket Stadium in Bengaluru, where a large number of people gathered to participate in the RCB team's IPL victory celebrations.

The Karnataka government will formulate a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for mega events, meetings and celebrations aimed at preventing any untoward incidents, state Home Minister G Parameshwara said on Thursday.

The tragic event of June 4 was one of the deadliest stampede or stampede-like situations in the history of India's tech capital. Here we look at other such incidents in the city's history:

Venus Circus Fire and Stampede (February 7, 1981)

The deadliest mass death in the history of the city, the Venus Circus fire and stampede on February 7, 1981 claimed 92 lives after the circus tent caught fire, possibly due to a discarded cigarette or electrical short circuit.

92 individuals lost their lives in the tragedy, most of whom were school children. It is believed that more people died due to the stampede in the immediate aftermath of the fire than from the fire itself.

Shivajinagar Charity Token Stampede (September 21, 2016)

One woman died and several were injured in a stampede-like situation that occurred in Bengaluru's Shivajinagar area on September 21, 2016 where charity tokens were being distributed on the occasion of Eid.

Palace Grounds Migrant Crisis (May 23, 2020)

A huge number of migrant workers had gathered near the Palace Grounds on May 23, 2020 after receiving a message that they would be able to board trains leaving for Manipur and Odisha.

As the number of people gathered far exceeded the capacities of the trains, a stampede-like situation occurred. However, no fatality was reported.

Lalbagh Flower Show Stampede (August 15, 2001)

A stampede at the Lalbagh Botanical Garden on August 15, 2001 led to a small child getting injured.

Lessons had to be learnt: Experts

Deccan Herald had carried a piece by experts who listed out lessons that had to be learnt from the stampedes at the Kumbh Mela and the Delhi railway station. Take a look here:

Real-Time ground assessment: Law enforcement agencies must develop the capability for continuous ground appreciation. Officers at every level should be empowered to make real-time decisions based on on-the-spot assessments rather than waiting for directives from a distant control room.

Predictive crowd analytics: In an age of technological advancements, artificial intelligence and big data analytics can be leveraged to anticipate crowd movement patterns. Predictive modelling should be used to pre-emptively identify high-risk zones, allowing authorities to take precautionary measures before chaos erupts.

Better infrastructure and regulation: Railway stations, especially major transit hubs like New Delhi, need significant upgrades to handle surges in passenger traffic. Wider platforms, additional footbridges, rough and non-slippery staircases on footbridges and other parts of the station, clearer signages, and regulated crowd movement strategies must be implemented.

Inter-agency coordination: A single control authority should oversee high-risk events, integrating police, railway officials, event organisers, and medical responders into a unified command structure. This will ensure swift decision-making and avoid bureaucratic delays.

Complacency in crowd management: The possibility of a stampede happening in a mass surge of crowds is very real, and an attitude of complacency on the part of authorities is the single most common factor responsible for the failure of crowd control. This attitude creeps in slackness and lack of adequate preparedness on the part of authorities, and it often proves disastrous.

Importance of planning and rehearsals: Anticipation of every possible eventuality and incident and adequate planning and preparedness to meet each one of them hold the key to successful crowd management.

Real-time monitoring: A well-equipped control room with adequately staffed manpower holds a place of importance in such situations. Holding an eagle’s eye from a distance helps you identify pressure points of crowd surges and take timely preventive measures through diversions, blocking, and rushing additional manpower. Officers or men deployed on the spot are no substitute for such a support system which is detached and at a distance from the ground.

Public awareness and behaviour regulation: Educating the public on orderly movement in crowded places is essential. Information campaigns, public service announcements, and even simulation drills can instil a culture of discipline and caution in mass gatherings.