Total Questions : 1
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Case Studies
You are posted as the District Magistrate in a prominent pilgrimage town in North India that attracts lakhs of devotees every year during a major festival. On the main day of the event, a tragic stampede occurs near the entry gates of the temple complex, leading to the death of over 50 devotees and injuring hundreds. Preliminary reports indicate that poor crowd management, inadequate barricading, and negligence in traffic diversion contributed to the chaos.
Eyewitnesses reveal that local vendors had illegally encroached upon key passageways, while influential religious organisations resisted stricter crowd-control measures citing “devotee inconvenience.” Political leaders had also pressured the administration to allow maximum entry, as restrictions would upset religious sentiments before elections.
Your internal inquiry shows lapses at multiple levels: police and civic officials ignored standard operating procedures for crowd control, corruption was involved in issuing special entry passes for VIPs, and emergency medical response was delayed due to poor coordination between the health department and local NGOs.
The media has labelled the incident a “man-made disaster,” while families of victims demand accountability and justice. An inquiry commission is to be set up, and you are tasked with preparing a comprehensive report and action plan to prevent such tragedies in the future.
A. Identify and discuss the ethical issues involved in this case.
B. How would you balance religious sentiments, political pressure, and your responsibility to ensure public safety?
C. How would you ensure accountability among officials and fairness to victims?
D. Suggest key measures for long-term prevention of stampedes and state the ethical values that should guide you. (250 words)
GS Paper 4 Case Studies
