From the holy Maha Kumbh where devotees were seeking blessings, to the jubilant streets of Bengaluru celebrating an iconic win, to the catastrophic ending for people going on a foreign holiday, to daughters losing their precious guardians to a fire, and more. The year 2025 witnessed a series of tragedies, many of them preventable, exposing serious gaps in safety infrastructure and crowd control in India.
Siasat.com looks back at the list of tragedies that shook the nation in 2025.
Tirupati temple stampede
On January 8, 2025, six devotees died, and over 50 were injured in a stampede at the Tirupati temple, Andhra Pradesh, during the token distribution for the Vaikuntha Ekadasi Darshanam, a religious event. Reports indicated poor crowd management and a large influx of devotees.
Maha Kumbh Mela stampede
In the same month, on January 29, at least 30 people died and over 60 others were injured at India’s biggest Hindu religious event, the Maha Kumbh Mela, in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj. The incident occurred early morning before the Mauni Amavasya ritual, where millions of devotees gathered at the Sangam to take a holy dip.
The bottleneck spacing overwhelmed the crowd, triggering panic, pushing and crushing. Following the stampede, all vehicle entries were banned from the Mela area.
SLBC’s tunnel collapse
On February 22, 2025, while repairing a seepage leak in the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel in Telangana’s Nagarkurnool district, a section of the roof caved in. Many workers managed to escape, but eight people were instantly buried under the concrete debris and mud.
A rescue operation involving the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), the Indian Army and other expert teams was launched immediately, but was slow and extremely challenging due to soil instability and the presence of hazardous gases. After months, two bodies were recovered.
In September, work resumed at the SLBC tunnel.
Gulzar Houz fire accident
A major fire broke out on May 18, 2025, in a three-storey building near Gulzar Houz in Hyderabad’s Old City area, killing 17 people from a single family, including eight children, from asphyxiation. A short circuit caused the blaze in a pearl shop, which led to an AC compressor exploding. The fire rapidly engulfed the structure.
Thick smoke billowed from the nearly 125-year-old building, which had a single exit route, making it harder for residents to escape. About 30 individuals were inside at the time, including the family of a pearl trader and his employees.
Nine people were rescued.
The Telangana government announced Rs 5 lakh ex-gratia for each deceased and Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh for the injured, depending on the severity of injuries. The Union government also announced Rs 2 lakh compensation to each of the victims from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund.
IPL victory stampede
On June 4, 2025, 11 young lives were lost and more than 50 people were injured in a stampede that broke out at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium. A massive crowd gathered to celebrate the victory of their team, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), after they won their first Indian Premier League (IPL) title. Around 2–3 lakh people surged near the stadium entrances to catch a glimpse of their team, but the celebrations soon turned chaotic due to poor crowd management and inadequate arrangements.
Fans began pushing each other, resulting in a stampede. Bengaluru Police filed cases against RCB, its event partner DNA Entertainment and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) over alleged negligence and lack of required permissions.
However, five senior police officers were also suspended, including Bengaluru City Police Commissioner B Dayananda.
Ahmedabad Air India Flight Crash
On June 12, 2025, London-bound Air India Flight AI 171 crashed into Ahmedabad’s BJ Medical College, minutes after take off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, killing 241 passengers and crew on board and 19 students on the ground. Only one passenger, 40-year-old British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, miraculously survived with minor injuries. He was seated near the emergency exit.
It was the deadliest Indian aviation disaster in recent history.
Preliminary report by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) indicated both engine fuel‑control switches were moved from “run” to “cutoff” shortly after takeoff, starving the engines of fuel and causing a catastrophic loss of thrust.
Sigachi Industries chemical blast
On June 30, 2025, about 50 km from Hyderabad, a massive chemical explosion ripped through the Sigachi Industry located in Telangana’s Sanagreddy district, instantly killing 44 workers on site and injuring dozens. The impact was so severe that workers were tossed into the air and fell several metres away.
Initial investigation indicated the accident occurred due to temperature buildup in the spray dryer or drying unit used to process microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), a fine, combustible powder. The total death count reached 54 after 10 more workers succumbed in hospitals.
Karur TVK rally stampede
On September 27, 2025, a deadly stampede occurred during a political rally by Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief and actor‑turned‑politician Vijay in Karur district, Tamil Nadu, killing 41 people, including women and children, and injuring over 100 others.
Thousands of Vijay’s fans gathered at the rally site to catch a glimpse of him. However, Vijay arrived several hours late. While his supporters waited, the crowd began to swell. As he arrived, fans scrambled, especially near barricades and narrow areas, leading to panic and a subsequent stampede.
The state government offered Rs 10 lakh to each victim’s family and Rs 1 lakh to the injured. The TVK also announced Rs 20 lakh to the victims’ families from its welfare fund.
Kurnool Sleeper Bus Fire
On October 24, 2025, tragedy struck the Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh when the Bengaluru-bound Kaveri Travels bus from Hyderabad hit a motorcycle lying in the middle of National Highway 44.
Minutes earlier, an intoxicated biker, Shiva Shankar, travelling from Kurnool to Dhone with a friend, Nani alias Eriswamy, hit the divider after his bike skid. Eriswamy managed to pull Shankar’s body to the roadside but failed to remove the bike, whose fuel cap was left open.
Moments later, the sleeper bus hit the bike, dragged it for nearly 300 feet and triggered a fire. Of the 44 passengers, 19 were burnt to death.
Investigations revealed the bus was carrying 234 new smartphones in the luggage hold. The lithium-ion batteries intensified the fire, making it difficult to extinguish it in time.
Both the Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments announced a cumulative of Rs 5 lakh to the victim’s family and Rs 2 lakh to those injured. The Union government announced Rs 2 lakh to the victim and Rs 50,000 to the injured.
Kaveri Travels also announced Rs 2 lakh for the victims and Rs 50,000 to the injured.
Chevalla bus accident
On November 3, 2025, a week after the Kurnool bus fire incident, a Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) bus travelling from Tandur to Hyderabad collided head-on with a speeding, gravel-laden tipper in Chevalla, instantly burying several passengers alive.
The tragedy claimed at least 24 lives, including a 40-day-old infant, three daughters from the same family and a couple that left two daughters orphaned. Both the bus drivers also died and over 30 people were injured.
Kasibugga Temple stampede
On November 1, 2025, at least nine devotees were killed in a stampede at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple (Chinna Tirupati) in Kasibugga, Andhra Pradesh. Heavy overcrowding near its entrance led to the collapse of an iron railing on a staircase.
The 95-year-old temple owner was later booked for criminal negligence as no prior permission was taken for the event.
Bilaspur train collision
On November 4, 2025, a passenger train travelling to Bilaspur rammed into the rear of a stationary goods train near Gatora station in Chhattisgarh, leaving 12 people, including the loco pilot, dead. The collision was so violent that the front motor coach of the passenger train climbed onto the rear wagon of the goods train.
Indian Railways announced an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh each to the victims’ families, Rs 5 lakh for those seriously injured, and Rs 1 lakh for those with minor injuries. The Chhattisgarh government also announced Rs 10 lakh to the families of the deceased.
Goa nightclub fire
On December 6, 2025, 25 people were killed and over 50 were injured after a fire broke out at a popular nightclub in Arpora village, Goa. The fire trapped people inside amid thick smoke, causing death by suffocation.
The dead included 21 staff members and four tourists. Investigations revealed the blaze was triggered by the improper use of indoor fireworks. The club was built illegally on a salt pan without mandatory fire safety clearances and was operating without a valid license for months.
| Edited by Osama Salman | 
