A newly opened sari showroom in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar became the scene of a near-stampede on Sunday after a massive crowd, lured by heavy discounts promoted on social media, descended on the outlet. The chaotic rush left three women unconscious, caused children to be separated from their mothers, and resulted in several minor injuries.
Social Media Promotion Sparks Dangerous Rush
The incident unfolded between 11 am and 2 pm on Sunday at the shop located on the Akashvani Road-Trimurti Chowk stretch. The chaos was triggered by a social media campaign claiming that sarees originally priced at Rs 5,000 were being sold for just Rs 599. This promotion prompted hundreds of women, many accompanied by family members and young children, to converge at the small outlet.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (Crime) Ashok Rajput stated that the narrow space outside and inside the shop proved completely inadequate for the swelling crowd. The situation quickly escalated into panic and chaos as people pushed and jostled to enter.
Eyewitness Accounts and Police Intervention
Eyewitnesses described a frightening scene where women forcefully pushed their way into the shop the moment the discounted rates were announced. This led to people falling and getting trapped in the crush. Three women fainted and collapsed due to suffocation and had to be revived later. In the confusion, several children were briefly separated from their mothers.
Police teams rushed to the spot and, to prevent further escalation, ordered the immediate closure of the shop. Police Commissioner Pravin Pawar emphasized that timely police intervention averted a major tragedy.
FIR Registered for Negligence and Violations
On Monday, the Jawahar Nagar police registered a First Information Report (FIR) under BNS sections 125 and 3(5), and section 135 of the Maharashtra Police Act. The complaint was filed on behalf of the government by Head Constable Pundalik Vinayakrao Mankape.
The FIR alleges that the accused aggressively publicized the heavy discounts on platforms like Instagram despite being fully aware that the shop premises were small and ill-equipped to handle a large crowd. The police investigation revealed a complete lack of necessary arrangements:
- No ambulances were on standby.
- No provisions for drinking water or mobile toilets were made.
- There were no proper emergency exits.
Furthermore, the FIR noted a violation of prohibitory orders that are in place due to the model code of conduct for the ongoing civic elections. The police have taken action against two individuals in connection with the incident.
