Mumbai Police’s Crowd Control Precision in T20 Parade Praised Amid Bengaluru Stampede Tragedy
GG News Bureau
Mumbai, 6th June: As the tragic stampede during Royal Challengers Bangalore’s (RCB) IPL victory celebration in Bengaluru left 11 dead and 56 injured, comparisons have emerged highlighting the meticulous crowd management by Mumbai Police during India’s T20 World Cup victory parade in July last year.
Officials said on Friday that the Mumbai Police’s deft handling of nearly three lakh people along Marine Drive and Wankhede Stadium stands in stark contrast to the chaos in Bengaluru. The July 4 celebration, organised within just 36 hours of India’s historic win, was executed with near-flawless precision — thanks to proactive planning, crowd-sensitive decisions, and real-time coordination.
“We had just 36 hours to prepare. Still, we successfully managed over three lakh people without any major untoward incident,” a senior police official told PTI. “We insisted that the Mumbai Cricket Association issue free online tickets even for public events so that crowd inflow and outflow could be controlled effectively.”
The Wankhede stadium, with a capacity of 32,000, was packed well in advance. “We opened the gates at 2:30 PM instead of the planned 4 PM after sensing the crowd build-up. Around 35,000 entered the stadium, while the rest were guided to Marine Drive. Loudspeaker announcements informed people once the stadium was full, and redirected them calmly,” the official added.
The city’s Marine Drive, which had hosted the Indian Air Force air show earlier that year, became a crucial site for crowd overflow. Learning from past tragedies — particularly the Hathras stampede just two days prior, which killed 121 people — Mumbai Police implemented strict crowd control measures. Importantly, police were instructed not to resort to lathi-charge, a move appreciated by the public.
Strategic barricading, heavy police deployment, and continuous public announcements helped prevent stampede-like scenarios. Even when minor crowding occurred near Churchgate station, officers promptly intervened and asked arriving passengers to return, thereby defusing tension.
The team’s motorcade was closely guarded. “From NCPA to Wankhede, the Indian team bus had two security layers. Former police commissioner Vivek Phansalkar and then-special commissioner Deven Bharti (now commissioner) personally monitored operations,” said the official.
Attention to minute details also helped. “We asked people not to bend down to pick up footwear during the event as it can trigger chain reactions leading to panic. Still, civic workers collected three trucks full of slippers after the parade,” the officer recalled.
In contrast, Wednesday’s celebrations in Bengaluru turned deadly when thousands gathered outside the stadium to celebrate RCB’s maiden IPL win, leading to a deadly stampede. The incident has now sparked renewed calls for better crowd management protocols during public events.
