Breaking: Haridwar Stampede, Ahmedabad Floods Expose India's Crowd & Urban Management Crisis

A tragic stampede at Haridwar’s Mansa Devi Temple during the holy Sawan month claimed six lives and left over 20 injured. The chaos erupted on a crowded Sunday when a rumor about an electric current, allegedly sparked by a short circuit from a pole, caused mass panic. Pilgrims climbing the hill collided with those fleeing downhill, triggering a deadly stampede. Eyewitnesses noted the absence of police, while officials suspect the short circuit was caused by people pulling wires to escape. Opposition leaders blamed the BJP-led government for poor crowd management despite prior warnings.Meanwhile, Ahmedabad, touted as a ‘smart city,’ was submerged under 22 inches of rain, revealing serious flaws in urban infrastructure. Roads turned into rivers, buses were abandoned, and markets shut down due to severe waterlogging. Blocked drains caused sewage overflow, raising health risks. A red alert for more rain has been issued. Elsewhere, heavy rainfall led to disasters in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttarakhand, with visuals of rescue operations and overflowing rivers highlighting widespread unpreparedness.These incidents have cast a harsh light on India’s lack of crowd control, poor drainage systems, and inadequate disaster preparedness in both spiritual and urban centers.