Incidents Like Hathras Stampede sSould Not Happen Again: DGP Prashant Kumar

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) Prashant Kumar has issued an SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) for crowd management and stampede prevention. Under SOP, now separate integrated systems will be made at district, range, and zone levels in UP. The integrated system will be updated regularly at the level of DM, CMO, Civil Defence, Fire Brigade, and local police. Efforts will be made to ensure that an incident like the Satsang stampede in Hathras does not happen again.
The DGP said that the officers granting permission for the programs and the local police should check in advance that there is no danger at the venue. The movement of people there is safe. An emergency plan should be prepared based on an assessment of potential hazards (fire, lightning, road accidents, and respiratory arrest). Coordination should be made with all departments. Complete information about the program and the estimated number of people coming there should be collected.

Prashant Kumar said that a demand letter should be prepared for police, PAC, central force, officers, and resources required for security and traffic. Strong barricading should be done. Monitoring should be done through CCTV at the program sites and operational control rooms should be made. A gazetted officer (local magistrate) should be appointed in charge of the management of the program.

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Proper briefing of the force to be deployed on duty should be done. He said that adequate arrangements for fire fighting should be made along with a public address system. Anti-social elements spreading rumors should be kept an eye on. Arrangements for lights, drinking water, and ambulance should be made at the venue. Arrangements for transportation and parking should be made under the crowd control plan.

After deciding the category of the guests, their travel routes should be kept separate accordingly. There should be separate routes of transportation for the public. While assessing the need, the help of the local field unit, fire brigade, BDS team, flood unit, and SDRF should also be taken.