Video shows stampede-like situation in Sadar Bazar due to heavy rush of Diwali shoppers

New Delhi: A stampede-like situation erupted in the busy Sadar Bazar recently in Delhi due to a heavy footfall of shoppers ahead of Diwali festivities, showed a purported video of the incident that surfaced on social media on Wednesday.

In the video, a large group was seen jostling for space in the busy market as people tried to find a way through the dense crowd while balancing bags on their heads. Street vends also obstructed the road leaving to a narrow path for people.

It is unclear when the video was originally recorded.

Police said they have deployed teams in the market to avoid any untoward incident and maintain law and order.

“Sadar Bazar, during festival seasons, faces high footfall. We are planning to manage the crowd and soon meetings will be done with the district magistrate, market association and officials of the MCD for the crowd planning,” said a senior officer.

Another police officer said efforts are being taken to restrict the entry of heavy load vehicles in the area that causes jam and lead to congestion.

There was no immediate reaction on the incident from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, which is responsible for removing encroachments from public property.

Meanwhile, a market association in Sadar Bazar said it is planning to write a letter to the Delhi Police for proper management.

“Sadar Bazar is one of the biggest and older market witnesses enormous footfalls during festive seasons creating huge crowds in the area. We are planning to write and meet senior police officers of the north district as huge crowd can lead to any bigger circumstances if not properly maintained,” said Rakesh Yadav, president of Sadar Bazar Association.