14 Major Stampedes Since 2025 Highlight Lax Safety at Religious Gatherings
India’s record of crowd‑related disasters is alarming. Data collected from police reports, hospital records and disaster response agencies identifies fourteen major stampedes between 2025 and 2026, accounting for at least 166 deaths and a large number of serious injuries.
The most recent tragedy unfolded at Kolkata’s Chorebagan Durga Puja pandal, where sudden heavy rain prompted a frantic scramble that left 19 devotees dead and 25 injured. Earlier in the same year, a broken electricity cable at Ashok Dham temple in Lakhsirri, Bihar, caused a panic that killed seven worshippers. The famed Puri Rath Yatra on July 16 saw two pilgrims die and over a hundred rushed to hospitals, while a March 31 crush at the Shitala Mata temple in Nalanda, Bihar, claimed nine more lives.
Looking back to 2025, the list includes: - February 10: A stampede during the Navgrah temple’s kalash procession in Dabra, Madhya Pradesh (1 death). - November 1: A crowd crush at Venkateswara temple in Sri Kakulam, Andhra Pradesh (9 deaths, including a 12‑year‑old child). - September 27: A political rally for actor‑politician TVK in Karur, Tamil Nadu (41 deaths). - July 27: A crush on the stairs of Manasa Devi temple in Haridwar, Uttarakhand (8 deaths). - June 4: A post‑RCB victory gathering outside M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru (11 deaths). - May 3: A stampede at Shri Lairai Devi temple in Goa (6 deaths, 70 injured). - February 15: A platform‑stairs collapse at New Delhi railway station (18 deaths, including 4 children). - January 29: The holy dip at Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj turned deadly when police barricades gave way (30 deaths, 60 injured). - January 9: Ticket‑related chaos at Tirumala’s Venkateswara Swamy temple (6 deaths).
Consistent factors emerge: narrow corridors, single‑point access, inadequate lighting, and insufficient security personnel. Experts argue that mandatory crowd‑capacity audits, proper emergency‑exit planning and real‑time monitoring are essential to prevent future loss of life.
The data calls for immediate policy reform, stronger enforcement of safety standards and a cultural shift toward proactive crowd‑control measures for any event drawing large numbers of participants.