Stampede after rumour of kalash distribution:25,000 women gather at 15,000-capacity stadium; 3 of 4 gates kept closed

Thousands of women had gathered at Dabra Stadium in Gwalior on Tuesday morning at 10:30 AM. There was a consecration ceremony at Asia’s largest Navagraha temple here. 25 thousand women had already been distributed sarees, while kalash (sacred pots) were to be distributed from the stadium. It was informed that the kalash and sarees would not be taken back after the ceremony. For this reason, women started moving forward in a rush to get the kalash as soon as possible. The crowd in front of Gate No. 1 was continuously increasing. There were four gates for entry into the stadium, but all except one were kept closed. The situation was such that police personnel deployed at the spot were unable to control the situation. During this time, a rumor spread that kalash distribution had begun. Women put pressure on the gate and as soon as the gate opened, a stampede occurred. Those who fell were trampled under feet as thousands of women moved forward. In the accident, 70-year-old Rati Bai Sahu died, while eight women including a 4-year-old innocent Prachi were injured. Initial investigation has revealed that the organizers could not properly assess the crowd. This became the main cause of the accident. The district administration and police negligence is also being considered. Dainik Bhaskar investigated the causes of the accident. Talked to eyewitnesses. Asked the responsible parties for reasons. Read the report… Why were gates kept closed when 25 thousand women were expected to come At the stadium ground in Dabra from where the Kalash Yatra was to begin and kalashes were to be distributed, women started gathering from 9 AM, although the Kalash Yatra was scheduled to start after 12 noon. According to the organizers, about 25 thousand yellow sarees were distributed and kalashes were arranged according to that number. It was also informed that after the Kalash Yatra, the sarees and kalashes would remain with the respective women. The stadium has a total of four gates for entry and exit, but all four gates were kept closed until 10:30 AM, while some women were already present inside. A large crowd of women had gathered at gate number-1 located in front of the hospital, but the gate was closed. Neither the organizers were visible at the spot, nor was there adequate police force. Only two to three police personnel were present for crowd control. In such a situation, when thousands of women gathered, the chain on the gate broke and women rushed inside, causing a stampede. Got pushed from behind in the stampede, then couldn’t get up In the stampede at Dabra Stadium due to gates not opening, the condition of 4-year-old Prachi, daughter of injured Aarti, is critical. She had come wearing a distributed sari to collect the kalash. She was at the front of the gate holding her daughter’s hand. As soon as the gate opened, women rushed for the kalash. Grandmother fell, people trampled over her while passing Rati Sahu’s grandson Hemant said that my grandmother Rati Bai Sahu was standing at the front of the gate. The administration or organizers should have moved the women back and opened the gate in an organized manner, but the gate opened suddenly and grandmother fell down. As soon as grandmother fell, several women trampled over her while passing by. My grandmother was suffering there. When we reached the hospital, we couldn’t find a doctor for 20 minutes. Such a big event was organized and there were no doctors in the hospital. I kept saying to give oxygen to grandmother, but the doctors weren’t listening. She died struggling right in front of my eyes. Administration Failed to Assess the Crowd The organizers had distributed 25 thousand sarees for the Kalash Yatra. It was estimated that around 20 thousand women would attend the event, but coordination could not be established between the organizers, district administration, and police administration. The administration failed to properly assess the crowd. This was why women started arriving at the stadium ground from 9 AM, but no official from the administration was present at the spot. The organizers were also absent. In the name of police arrangements, only two to three police personnel were deployed at gate number-1. The organizers, administration, and police – all three are responsible for this accident. Stampede broke out after rumors According to information, when women had gathered outside the gate, a rumor spread that kalash distribution had begun and only those women who arrive first and are wearing the distributed sarees would receive the kalash. After this rumor, women started putting pressure on the gate. As soon as the gate opened, women rushed inside quickly. During this, a stampede broke out in which some people fell down and the crowd trampled over them while moving forward to get the kalash. Scattered slippers, bangles and bracelets When the Dainik Bhaskar team reached Dabra Stadium, there was silence all around. The scattered items around clearly depicted the accident. At Gate No. 1, where the accident occurred, there were slippers lying around, and at some distance purses, bangles and bracelets were seen scattered. This gave an indication of how horrific the situation must have been for people who were trampled during the stampede. More than 20 injured in the accident, 9 reached hospital In the accident, Saroj Sahu wife of Lalaram Sahu (resident of Darshan Colony), Suman wife of Kamal Kishore, Vineet son of Babulal Kori, Vimla Devi, Pushpa, Durgesh, Ummed Singh Rawat (resident of Ashok Nagar), Anita Ahirwar, four-year-old Prachi Jatav and Aarti Ahirwar were injured. Meanwhile, 70-year-old Rati Bai Sahu, resident of Hanuman Colony, Dabra died.
Nine injured reached the hospital, while according to eyewitnesses, the number of injured was more than 20. Many injured were sent away from the scene after primary treatment. Claim of deployment of 2000 police personnel fails The 11-day inauguration ceremony of Asia’s largest and magnificent Navagraha temple was to begin on Tuesday with the Kalash Yatra. One day before this, Gwalior Range IG Arvind Saxena inspected and claimed deployment of more than two thousand personnel and officers. However, this security arrangement was limited only to the temple premises and Kalash Yatra route. Neither police force was visible nor any administration staff was present at the location where Kalash distribution was taking place. No effective management was seen from the organizers either. Crowd gathered since 9 AM in desire of Kalash Although the Kalash Yatra was supposed to start at 12:40 PM. The organizers had distributed sarees door-to-door and said that any woman who comes to the stadium wearing this saree would be given a kalash. Later, that kalash and saree would belong to that woman. For this reason, in the race to get kalash, women started arriving at the stadium from 9 AM. How did crowd management fail? The stadium has four gates, but the organizers and administration did not pay attention to crowd management from the beginning. Three out of four gates were kept closed. Entry for women and kalash distribution was arranged only through Gate No. 1. Sufficient volunteers were not deployed by the organizers. The entire event was being managed by just a handful of workers. As long as former Home Minister Narottam Mishra was present on the ground, heavy police force was deployed, but after his departure, police and district administration officials were nowhere to be seen at the spot. The stadium in Dabra where the kalash distribution was to take place has a capacity of 10 to 15 thousand people, while a crowd of 20 to 25 thousand people reached there. Despite the crowd being over capacity, proper management was not done, which led to this accident. Gwalior IG said, ‘Force has been increased’
After the incident, Gwalior IG Arvind Saxena, IG Amit Sanghi and Collector Ruchika Chauhan reached Dabra with police force. The officials inspected the incident site and reviewed the causes of the incident while staying at the stadium ground for more than half an hour. When IG Arvind Saxena was asked about the causes of the accident, he said that the women’s haste to receive the kalash became the main reason for this stampede.