Bengaluru stampede: Karnataka govt releases SoP for crowd management at events & mass gathering
Bengaluru, Jul 1 (PTI): Simulations and risk assessment, venue safety audit, coordination with event organisers, deployment of a crowd management plan, and on-ground deployment and access control are among the measures mandated by the Karnataka government in its standard operating procedure for crowd management at events and mass gatherings.
This SoP, dated June 26, intended as a guideline for police officers and event planners, was released to the media on Tuesday following the tragic stampede incident on June 4 in front of M Chinnaswamy stadium that claimed the lives of 11 people, drawing sharp criticism over the planning and crowd management.
The SoP includes general principles, according to which, police responses must prioritise life safety, protection of rights, prevention of property damage, and de-escalation of potential conflicts.
"Modern gatherings are often spontaneous and influenced by social media, necessitating adaptive strategies, adding that early planning, coordination with stakeholders, and minimal use of force are essential guiding principles," it stated.
It also lays down guidelines for pre-event planning and preparations, which include simulation and risk assessment, conducting behavioral and spatial analysis simulations for crowd movement, identifying bottlenecks and potential high-risk areas using available tools.
Other measures to be taken are -- ensuring venue compliance with safety standards, including capacity limits, entry/exit routes, emergency evacuation plans, and communication infrastructure, and in case venues fail safety audits, they must not be approved for high-footfall events.
According to the SoP, Police officers must liaise with organisers to gather critical details like nature, date, and time of the event, expected footfall, and any counter-protests, assembly, and dispersal plans.
They also need to gather details about permit status and coordinate with allied departments (fire, health) and check if there is a possibility of counter protests and demonstrations, risk to nearby vital installations with respect to the event.
Past behavior at similar events, availability of emergency services, and mutual aid need to be looked into.
A crowd management plan needs to be developed, which should include clearly assigned roles for police and security staff, movement control protocols for crowd flow, especially at critical choke points, emergency response plans, evacuation routes, and medical aid arrangements, it stated.
The plan should also include a coordination strategy among all deployed agencies and use of digital ticketing and reserved seating to streamline entry, it added.
The SoP further stated about the deployment of trained personnel, placement of officers at key access points, exits, and high-density areas.
"Ensure all personnel are trained in crowd control, communication, and emergency protocols," it said.
Under entry screening and verification guidelines, the SoP insists on having a spacious and organised holding area for crowd entry, implementation of checkpoints with metal detectors, QR code scanning, or biometric systems as far as possible, and ensuring separate access lanes for VIPs, the general public, and staff.
For managing the queue, officials have been asked to use barricades and floor markings to guide attendees.
They have been directed to provide real-time updates on wait times, designate accessible lines for the differently-abled, use barricades to control access and organise queues, and mark all emergency exits clearly, and keep them unobstructed.
The SoP has also emphasised the usage of the public address system, preparing an emergency response plan, conducting training, and regular simulation drills.
It further lays out protocols for crowd dispersal, use of force only when absolutely necessary and in minimum required quantity, and to maintain logs of key decisions, warnings, and crowd behaviour.
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Conspiracy afoot to 'tarnish' image of Dharmasthala: Deputy CM DK Shivakumar
Bengaluru, Aug 14 (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Thursday said there was a “conspiracy” to tarnish the image of Dharmasthala.
His comments come amid an ongoing investigation by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) into serious allegations of mass burials in the revered temple town in Dakshina Kannada district.
“A conspiracy is being hatched to destroy hundreds of years of legacy. It is not correct to tarnish someone just like that. It has all happened due to one complainant,” he said.
Noting that some Congress MLAs have called for action against those involved in the slander campaign at the legislature party meeting, he said, “ I have told them that action must be taken against those who are indulging in a slander campaign. The CM has also said that action must be taken against such people.”
“I have information on this case. Religious feelings should not be hurt in any manner. Culprits must be punished,” he told reporters, according to a release from his office.
Responding to a question, Shivakumar said the Congress party will not allow the image of any religious place to be tarnished.
“We see everyone equally when it comes to religion,” he added.
The SIT, formed by the state government, is probing claims of mass murder, rape, and mass burials in Dharmasthala over the past two decades.
The complainant, a former sanitation worker whose identity has not been revealed, alleged that between 1995 and 2014 he was forced to handle bodies—including women and minors—and that some showed signs of sexual assault. He has given a statement before a magistrate.
As part of the probe, the SIT has been conducting exhumations at multiple locations identified by the complainant-witness in the forested areas along the banks of the Netravathi River in Dharmasthala, where some skeletal remains have been found at two sites so far.
