🔴 Truth Drop
Between 2001–2023, over 2,500 Indians died in stampedes — mostly in temples, rallies, and public gatherings.
(Source: NCRB & media archives)
📖 Why This Matters
Stampedes are not “acts of God.” They are failures of crowd management. Most victims are women, children, and the elderly, crushed because exits were blocked or panic spread. In Hathras (2024), 121 people died in minutes simply because of poor planning and no emergency exits. The tragedy repeats because lessons are forgotten.
💥 Myth vs Fact
- Myth: “Stampedes happen because people panic.”
- Fact: Panic is a symptom — the real cause is bad planning, closed exits, and overcrowding.
- Myth: “Stampedes can’t be prevented.”
- Fact: Countries like Saudi Arabia (Hajj) cut stampede deaths by strict crowd flow design and barriers.
📊 Key Data
- Avg. 100+ deaths annually in India due to stampedes.
- 80% happen in religious places.
- 60% of deaths = suffocation, not trampling.
🧰 What You Can Do Today
- 🙏 Avoid rushing or pushing in crowds.
- 🚪 Always locate emergency exits before entering.
- 📞 If panic starts, move sideways, not forward.
- 🧑🤝🧑 Teach kids to stay close & hold hands.
📈 Visual Suggestion
“Where stampedes happen most in India.”
📎 Sources
NCRB Reports, Hathras 2024 fact-finding reports, NDMA Guidelines on Crowd Safety.
📣 Call to Action
“Tag your local temple/society: Do you have a crowd management plan? If not, demand one.”
🔚 Closing Line
“Stampedes are man-made disasters. Knowledge and planning save lives.”