On 4th June 2025, Bengaluru’s streets turned from triumph to tragedy during RCB’s historic IPL victory procession. Poor planning, lack of barricades, and inadequate police deployment led to a deadly stampede, claiming multiple lives and injuring dozens.

This is not an isolated event. From Kumbh Mela to Delhi’s railway stations, and from political rallies to religious gatherings, stampedes have become a recurring and preventable tragedy across India.

Stampedes aren’t freak accidents — they are the result of systemic neglect, where overcrowding meets unprepared governance.

Recurring Failures in Crowd Management

At Kumbh Mela, outdated policing and manual crowd control are still the norm despite its global scale. The Delhi Railway Station saw families trampled due to lack of platform coordination. And in Bengaluru, authorities failed to plan for RCB’s victory parade — no barricades, no zoning, no strategy. The crowd didn’t cause the deaths; the failure to prepare did.

Lessons from Abroad

Countries like Japan, Saudi Arabia, and the UK demonstrate that crowd management can be successful with the right systems. During Japan’s Hanami festivals, clear pedestrian paths, trained volunteers, and tracking systems ensure safety. Saudi Arabia’s Hajj now includes RFID wristbands, AI crowd monitoring, and regulated movement times, sharply reducing fatalities. The UK’s Glastonbury Festival uses smart barriers, live surveillance, and real-time alerts to prevent surges.

India’s Core Issue

India’s crisis stems from poor systems, not just population pressure. Political and religious events are seen as power showcases, not logistical challenges. There’s no nationwide SOP for crowd control, and responsibilities are scattered among various agencies without coordination. Technology like crowd sensors or AI is underused, and crowd psychology remains misunderstood.

The Way Forward

India must adopt a proactive crowd management strategy. This includes:

• Establishing Urban Crowd Management Units with trained professionals.
• Mandatory simulations for events exceeding 5,000 attendees.
• Deployment of AI surveillance, real-time alerts, and density sensors.
• Training for police and volunteers in crowd behavior and emergency tactics.
• Public awareness campaigns on crowd safety practices.
• Legal accountability for safety violations by event organizers and officials.

Only by embracing these reforms can India ensure safe and successful public events.

This tragedy should not fade with the news cycle — it must prompt real reform. The root problem is not the people, but our refusal to plan for them. Without accountability, training, and technology, India’s public gatherings will continue to risk lives. The cost of inaction is simply too high.