The deadly stampede in Fulrai village of Uttar Pradesh's Hathras district (2 July; 121 dead, including 112 women and 7 children) in the ‘satsang’ organised by Suraj Pal (aka Narayan Sakar Hari or 'Bhole Baba') isn’t an isolated incident but stands preceded by a long list of stampedes particularly during religious or godmen-centred gatherings (I have curated a list at the end of this article).
Clearly, in India, life is cheap. The country witnesses such tragedies on a regular basis, and yet, there are many reasons why these recur with alarming frequency.
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) published a comprehensive guide entitled Managing Crowds at Events and Venues of Mass Gatherings for State Governments, Local Authorities, Administrators and Organisers in 2014. Yet, a day after the Hathras tragedy, UP government minister Asim Arun stated that the state government has started work on SOPs to prevent such incidents in future.
Incidentally, during my long years in the NDMA, I assisted multiple administrations in preparing for mass gatherings like the Kumbh Mela, the Sri Amarnathji Yatra, and the 550th Birth Anniversary Celebration of Guru Nanak Devji, etc and there is a huge body of good practices on that subject available for anyone who’s interested.
Most of our revered places of worship are at least a century old, and back then, the size of crowds that would throng them in the 20th and 21st centuries couldn’t be cognised. Add to this the construction of shops and other structures which further constrict the space around such places of worship. The recipe for a disaster is ready.