How to Survive a Stampede or Crowd Crush: What to Do If You Are Caught

On 2 July 2024, a crowd leaving a satsang in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, surged and fell. 121 people died, most of them women. A judicial commission later held the organisers mainly responsible and also blamed lapses by the local administration and police (IANS, 21 February 2025).

The National Crime Records Bureau recorded 25 stampede cases and 147 deaths in India in 2024, and 128 of those killed were women (NCRB, Accidental Deaths & Suicides in India 2024, Table 1.7). The Hathras crush, which happened that year, killed 121 people on its own.

In a crowd crush, most people do not die from being trampled. They die because the crowd is packed so tightly that they cannot expand their chest to breathe. What keeps you alive is noticing the danger early, staying on your feet and keeping space to breathe.

Why crushes happen

• Two streams of people meet at a narrow gate, a bridge or a staircase.
• Rain, a rumour or a VIP convoy makes people rush in one direction.
• Exits are locked, blocked or too few for the crowd.
• There is no public address system, poor lighting, or no one to give directions.
• Someone falls, and the people behind keep being pushed forward over them.

Spot the danger early

• You cannot see an exit, or the gates are shut.
• You are pressed shoulder to shoulder and front to back with strangers.
• You cannot move your arms freely.
• It is getting hot and hard to breathe, and the noise is rising.
• Police or volunteers are shouting and losing control.

If you feel this, leave early, while you still can. Do not wait for the darshan, the speech or the fireworks.

If you are caught in a crush

1. Stay on your feet

• Keep your feet apart and your knees slightly bent for balance.
• Do not bend down to pick up a chappal, a phone or a bag.

2. Move with the crowd, not against it

• Do not push back against the flow.
• Between surges, move sideways and at an angle towards the edge of the crowd.

3. Protect your breathing

• Hold your arms up in front of your chest, like a boxer, to keep a little space to breathe.
• Stay calm and save your breath. Shouting uses air you need.

4. Keep away from walls, barriers and pillars

• People get crushed against walls, gates, railings and poles. Try to move away from them.

5. If you fall

• Try to get up at once. Get your feet under you and push up.
• If you cannot get up, curl on your side with your knees to your chest and your arms around your head. Lying on your side protects your chest better than lying face down or on your back.

6. Help others only when you are stable

• Pull someone up only if you are steady on your feet yourself.
• Once you are out, call 112 and tell police or volunteers where people are trapped.

Inside a building or venue

• When you arrive, note the entry and the exits, including side gates.
• Avoid corners, pillars and the foot of staircases.
• If people start pushing, head for a side exit, not the main gate everyone else is running to.
• If there is smoke, stay low, cover your nose and mouth and move away from it.
• Do not jump from a height unless there is no other way.

Before you go to a big event

Do this	Why
Look at how crowded it is before you go in	If it is already packed, come back later
Charge your phone and share your location with family	So you can find each other if separated
Wear comfortable clothes and closed shoes	Chappals come off and trip people
Carry water and a whistle	Heat and getting separated are common
Fix a family meeting point and put a phone number in children’s pockets	Lost children are found faster

Myths and facts

Myth	Fact
“Running will get me out faster.”	Running adds to the push and makes you more likely to trip.
“Shouting for help will save me.”	In a crush nobody can hear or move. Save your breath and keep your balance.
“Stampedes only happen in big cities.”	Deadly crushes in India have happened at village satsangs, melas, temples, railway stations and stadiums.
“A wall gives me something to lean on.”	Walls, gates and railings are where people get crushed.

What needs to change

• Organisers must keep crowds within the permitted number, with live monitoring at religious and public events.
• One-way entry and exit routes at large gatherings.
• Trained volunteer marshals at local festivals and satsangs.
• Public address systems and clear signs at every major venue.
• Emergency exits kept open, lit and marked.
• Police checks of the venue before the event, as the Hathras commission recommended.

Before your next mela or match

Tell your family three rules: stay on your feet, keep your arms up to protect your chest, and move sideways to the edge. Agree where you will meet if you get separated, and leave early if it starts getting too tight.