At 114, 2025 stampede toll 2nd-highest in recent years; Andhra tragedy sixth incident this year

NEW DELHI: Stampedes, categorised as avoidable accidents, have claimed at least 114 lives so far this year, marking the second-highest toll in recent years. In 2024, at least 123 people lost their lives in such incidents, with the crowd crush in Hathras, UP, alone accounting for 116 deaths at the end of a satsang conducted by self-styled godman Narayan Sakar Hari.

The stampede at the Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Srikakulam district, Andhra Pradesh, was the sixth such incident this year. Experts have often pointed out that the absence of proper crowd control mechanisms, poor communication, and inadequate emergency response systems aggravate such situations. Authorities frequently underestimate the expected number of attendees, leading to overcrowding and chaos.



There have been five major stampedes that occurred earlier this year. On January 29, during the Mahakumbh, 30 people lost their lives. On February 15, at the New Delhi Railway Station, 18 people died in a stampede. In North Goa's Shirgao village, seven devotees were killed when lakhs had gathered to participate in the annual Lairai Jatra at the Shree Lairai Devi Temple. On June 4, 11 fans died and several others were injured in a stampede near Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, during celebrations of RCB's maiden IPL win.

The most recent tragedy occurred in Karur, Tamil Nadu, where at least 39 people died during a rally organised by Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president and popular actor Vijay.