When a quick-thinking Chief Minister averted a stampede in Ahmedabad

The tragic Bengaluru stampede is an example of how unregulated crowds gathering in numbers more than the capacity of the place, is an invitation to disaster.

- SATISH KUMAR SHARMA

The tragic Bengaluru stampede is an example of how unregulated crowds gathering in numbers more than the capacity of the place, is an invitation to disaster. But before putting all the blame on police, it must be understood that in a densely populated country like India, where mass gatherings, (even impromptu) are common, police averts countless stampedes for each one that occurs.

Crowds are tricky creatures - amorphous, unpredictable, restless and excitable. They cannot be left to themselves. In October 1987, we five IPS probationers were in training in Police Training College, Junagadh, when in the ongoing Kisan agitation in Gujarat, a farmer died in police firing in the nearby Visavadar Taluka. The farmers decided to hold a condolence meeting two days later, in an open field. Hiralal (IPS-1967), the Principal, PTS, was holding the additional charge of DIG Junagadh Range.

He asked SP Junagadh about the expected crowd and police bandobast. The SP said that he anticipated about 1000 people but had not kept any police at the venue so as not to provoke a reaction. Still Hiralal asked him to go there with force and stay at a distance. He also visited the place and took us along. He told us, "Police should never ignore any gathering of this size because anything can go wrong there."