WHEN WILL THE SERIES OF CROWD ACCIDENTS AND TRAGEDIES END?

WHEN WILL THE SERIES OF CROWD ACCIDENTS AND TRAGEDIES END?

30-SEP-ENG 12

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

ARA----------------------------The stampede that occurred during the election rally of Tamil Nadu's Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay Rupani in Karur, Tamil Nadu, is both unfortunate and shocking. Once again, the uncontrolled frenzy of the crowd at Vijay Rupani's rally claimed 40 innocent lives. The question arises: how long will such tragedies continue to expose the failures of our society and governance? Why do our systems repeatedly fail to control crowds, and why do political parties, religious organizers, cinema stars, and other so-called "celebrities" incite them, considering crowd gatherings a measure of success? The tragic deaths in the stampede are a state-sponsored and encouraged murder by the TVK. Where was the police presence? The screams, cries, and pain, along with the frenzy to see actor-turned-politician Vijay, is a painful and horrific event that will haunt and haunt us for a long time. Administrative negligence, excessive crowds, and disorganized management led to this tragedy. This incident is no exception, but rather the latest in a series of horrific and tragic incidents that have unfolded across the world in recent years, where lapses in crowd control and the indifference of the administration, the government, and political parties to the public have had dire consequences and glaring tragedies.

The cries and groans of fans, basking in the glory of actor Vijay, and then ignoring them, are the height of inhumanity. The accidents and deaths of civilians are tragic and shameful. This state has had a culture of massive political gatherings for decades, fostered by the intersection of film and politics. CN Annadurai, MG Ramachandran, and Jayalalithaa were all film stars before becoming Chief Ministers. Their rallies often drew millions. The combination of star power and politics makes it difficult for authorities to control crowds. In Tamil Nadu, actor-turned-politician Vijay's party, TVK, is still in its infancy, but this unfortunate incident of underestimating the importance of fans at its rallies has tarnished not only the politicians but also the film star. The incident once again exposes our unscientific and lathi-wielding crowd management.

About three months ago, in June, a stampede during RCB's IPL victory celebrations in Bangalore left nearly a dozen people dead. However, the crowd that gathered in Karur on Saturday night was more of a gathering of fans eager to see their superstar than a political gathering. In this frenzy, panic spread when some supporters, climbing a tree branch, fell on people standing behind the actor's campaign vehicle, turning the rally into a disaster. Reports indicate that approximately 40 people were killed and many others injured. Tamil Nadu elections are due in 2026, and TVK may have already announced his candidacy. However, the manner in which Vijay hastily departed for Chennai on a chartered flight after the accident proves that he still has many lessons and political values ​​to learn. How could he shirk responsibility? TVK had obtained permission for 30,000 people and deployed police accordingly. But by evening, twice that number were present to catch a glimpse of the actor.

Crowds are certainly not organized, conscious forces; they are a frenzied flow in which a person's thinking, reason, and empathy are lost. In the presence of a crowd, self-control breaks down, and it becomes violent, undisciplined, and dangerous. This is why, from cricket matches to political rallies, religious events, and film star appearances, crowd passion often leads to death. History bears witness that mob violence has not only claimed lives but also damaged the social fabric. The 1984 anti-Sikh riots, the 1992 Babri Masjid incident, the Gujarat violence, stampedes during religious processions or pilgrimages that have left hundreds of people crushed to death—all of these are rooted in the "mob." The mass frenzy lurking within a crowd can erupt into violence, looting, and destruction at any moment.

In India, mob-related incidents have claimed the lives of many ordinary people. Whether religious events, sporting events, political rallies, or cultural festivals attract millions of people, minor lapses in crowd management have often resulted in horrific tragedies. For example, in 2022, over 150 people lost their lives due to overcrowding at the Itaewon Halloween festival in South Korea. Similarly, in 2015, hundreds died in a stampede during the Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca. In 2013, 115 people died due to structural deficiencies at a stampede at the Ratnagarh temple in Madhya Pradesh. The recent accidents at New Delhi Railway Station and Prayagraj during the Maha Kumbh Mela, and a rumor that a broken power line caused electric shock at Haridwar's famous Mansa Devi Temple claimed many lives, exposing serious shortcomings in crowd management at religious sites. Crowd management has also been exposed in emergencies like fire, earthquake, or terrorist attacks. Why are we so indifferent to crowd management in the world's most populous country? Improving crowd management infrastructure, providing adequate training to security personnel, raising public awareness, and utilizing modern technology are now essential to address crowd disruptions at large-scale events.

Vijay and his supporters Whatever they say, they cannot escape responsibility. They cannot, especially because they didn't provide accurate information about the number of people attending their rally. It's quite possible that the police also didn't make adequate arrangements because of this. In Tamil Nadu, the obsession with people with celebrity status is quite extreme. The biggest irony is that after every tragedy, governments and police administrations simply absolve themselves of their responsibilities by announcing an "investigation committee" and "compensation." Neither are any concrete policies formulated, nor are the organizers held accountable. The organizers' negligence and administrative laxity are the primary causes of these incidents. If strict security arrangements and crowd control were implemented in time, such horrific situations could have been avoided. Crowd tragedies are not just the result of administrative failure, but also a reflection of our social psychology. The public's "hero-craze" and blind devotion can make any crowd uncontrollable. Until restraint and prudence are instilled in civic consciousness, mob violence will remain a mere game of numbers, and its consequences will continue to be disastrous. It's time for governments to include crowd management in their national security agenda. Political parties, religious organizers, and the film industry must reconsider their tendency to mobilize crowds. It's true that everyone expressed condolences over the Karur incident, but if no concrete lessons are learned from it, these condolences are worthless and merely a mere show. Therefore, it's crucial that mob violence and tragedy not be dismissed as mere coincidences, but that serious steps be taken to prevent them. Otherwise, this trend will not only continue but will become more horrific each time. Ultimately, responsibility for the deaths of so many people must be fixed, and the guilty must be severely punished.