India’s growing population is currently at 1,458,377,223 as of January 28th 2025 data from the Worldometers Info. It is not just a statistic but also a ticking time bomb for public safety. The country which ranks number one in global population witnesses very frequent stampedes leading to tragic loss of lives. The inability to manage large crowds continues to cost innocent lives from religious gatherings to film promotions.
The recent Maha Kumbh stampede at Prayagraj’s Sangam on Mauni Amavasya is yet another example of this crisis. As lakhs of devotees rushed for a holy dip at least 15 people were feared dead and around 70 injured. This incident follows a grim pattern of similar tragedies. In 2011, Sabarimala saw 106 deaths. More recently at Hyderabad’s Sandhya Theatre, a stampede broke out when Telugu superstar Allu Arjun made a surprise appearance for Pushpa 2: The Rule, killing a woman and critically injuring her son.
Between 1996 and 2022, India recorded 3,935 stampede incidents with over 3,000 deaths, highlighting a chronic failure in crowd control. The question remains “Why despite countless tragedies, has the Indian government under Narendra Modi since decades has not taken strict measures to control population growth or enforce proper crowd management at mass gatherings?”
