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Recent tragedies at the Prevention Kumbh and New Delhi railway stations have exposed a recurring crisis in India’s mob management systems. The night of February 15, 2025, a stampede at the New Delhi railway station claimed the lives of 18 people, while 30 were fatal as a result of the Kumbh incident. Instead of addressing systemic flaws, many reactions have blamed themselves on the victims – a classic case of aggrieved defects.
In view of the Delhi incident, social media discussed with claims that overpopulation was to be blamed, suggesting that a large crowd of India overwhelmed any government’s ability to manage it. But this story is an important question: What is the role of the government in ensuring public safety? Labeling the victims, who had gathered for a religious event, as responsible only deepen injustice.
Further in complex cases, the authorities are in a hurry to dismiss these events as a “stampede -like conditions” rather than accepting failures in planning and execution. Officials initially denied the incident of stampede on both sites- editing public statements to reduce injuries and remove mention of deaths. Meanwhile, allegations of police harassment and cover-up have added increasing mistrust among the public.
In 2022-23, about 1,42,897 passenger trains experienced a delay. Between 2019-20 and 2023-24, Indian Railways canceled around 1,16,060 mail and express trains-three hours supported the cancellations. In the last decade (2014-2024), about 1,100 railway related deaths have been recorded under the present government.
As the authorities dismissed accountability by propagating myths such as labeling as the “144-year” story and labeling dissidents of the Kumbh Mela, someone should ask: Under the blame and publicity, these real questions should be asked. How long will it be buried? Janab, Aise Kaise?
