Not Just Varanasi, Stampede Deaths in India Etch a Sorry Tale

As per the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), more than 3,000 stampedes occurred between 2001 and 2014.

Spot of stampede during the Jagannath Rath Yatra, Puri, Odisha. (Photo: PTI)

Stampedes at mass religious gatherings have claimed more than 2,400 lives between 2001 and 2014. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), more than 3,000 incidents of stampede occurred during this period.

More than 20 people lost their lives in the unfortunate incident of stampede near Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. A similar incident of stampede occurred in Andhra Pradesh during the Pushakarams last year.

Both these incidents have once again highlighted the precarious situation at such mass gatherings and how a small slip-up can result in a tragedy.

Data from with the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) indicates that there have been a total of 3,126 incidents of stampede in the country from 2001 to 2014, in which 2,421 people have succumbed to the tragedy.

A representation of major incidents of stampede in the country. (Photo Courtesy: Factly)

Also Read: Several Killed, Dozens Injured in Varanasi Stampede

Year-Wise Trends (2001-2014)

Source: National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB)

More than 100 people lost their lives because of stampedes in 7 of these 14 years.

The highest number of incidents occurred in 2009 (1,532 incidents). But the highest number of lives were lost in 2011 (489 deaths).

The least numbers of deaths occurred in 2006 (18 deaths).

The average number of deaths per year in the last 7 years (2008-2014) is almost three times the average number of deaths in the first 7 years (2001-2007).

Male vs Female Deaths

Source: National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB)

In these 14 years, 1,695 men and 721 women lost their lives in incidents of stampede.

Except in 2005, more men lost their lives than women in each of the other 13 years.

State-Wise Trends

Source: National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB)

Maharashtra with 368 deaths accounted for the maximum number of deaths in these 14 years closely followed by Andhra Pradesh with 359 deaths.

Tamil Nadu (231 deaths), Rajasthan (216 deaths) and Madhya Pradesh (213 deaths) are part of the top five in the list of deaths due to stampedes.

Also Read: Varanasi Not a First, India Has a Gory History of Stampedes

Major Incidents of Stampede

File photo of Maha Pushkaralu, in which a stampede claimed 27 lives and injured 40 people. (Photo: Reuters)

• Maharashtra (2005): The Mandher Devi temple stampede occurred in January 2005, in Satara district of Maharashtra. More than 300 people lost their lives.
• Rajasthan (2008): A stampede occurred in September 2008 at the Chamunda Devi temple in Jodhpur in Rajasthan. More than 200 people lost their lives.
• Himachal Pradesh (2008): The Naina Devi temple stampede occurred in August 2008 in Himachal Pradesh. More than 100 people lost their lives.
• Kerala (2011): The Sabarimala stampede occurred in January 2011 at Sabarimala in Kerala. More than 100 people lost their lives.
• Madhya Pradesh (2013): This stampede occurred during the festival of Navratri, near the Ratangarh Mata Temple in Madhya Pradesh. More than 100 people lost their lives.

(The article was originally published in Factly)

Also Read: Could the Varanasi Stampede Have Been Prevented? NO!