After Hathras stampede, UP Police comes up with SOP for crowd management: prepare in advance, Gazetted officer or local magistrate to be event in-charge

As per the SOP, a Gazetted officer or local magistrate will be appointed as the event in-charge. “All police, PAC, CAPF, and fire officers on duty will receive proper briefings. The use of public address systems, loudhailers, and other communication tools will activate the deployed forces. Adequate fire-fighting arrangements will be made, and vigilance will be maintained to monitor rumor mongers and anti-social elements,” the SOP stated.

Also, the control of people and vehicles will be managed according to the Crowd Control Plan to ensure effective transportation and parking arrangements, it said.
The police have also been directed to monitor social media by alerting the District Information System, Social Media Cell, and Control Room. “Those spreading rumors will be identified and legal action should be taken against them,” it said.

CCTV cameras installed at the venue will be monitored, and the operational control and command center will be activated in a timely manner, along with contingency arrangements, the SOP said.

In case of an emergency or stampede, the SOP said that immediate medical care should be provided to the victims. “This will include coordination with the medical department, arranging a maximum number of ambulances to transport victims to nearby hospitals, preparing green corridors, and making all necessary medical arrangements,” it said.

Regular rehearsals involving all departments related to crisis management should be organised, it said and added that the plan should be regularly updated or upgraded every year after taking into account local conditions.

Under the section of “advance preparation”, the SOP said that inspections of the venue should be conducted with senior officials, local magistrates, and other concerned departmental officials.

“Officers responsible for granting permissions and the police should ensure there are no dangers at the venue and that the movement of visitors is safe. Well-organised and safe barricading should be put in place. A reasonable demand letter should be made for the necessary police/PAC/CAPF forces, Gazetted officers, and resources for effective security and well-organized traffic management,” it added.

The SOP said that information should be collected on the type of programme (religious, cultural, political, social, sports, etc) and the expected number of visitors.