Scientists at IIT Madras have developed an algorithm that can help manage dense crowds using minimal manpower, and prevent deadly stampedes in massive public gatherings like the Kumbh Mela and the Hajj.

Using a computer simulation, researchers can intelligently plan where to place police personnel to quickly quell disturbances in a crowd that could otherwise lead to panic and chaos.

The research, published in the journal Physical Review Letters, can also help design safe evacuation procedures for events and locations that witness high footfall.

"Couple of years ago the Elphinstone brigde tragedy took place in Mumbai. It was a very unfortunate event that we thought could have been prevented by understanding the physics of stampede," said Mahesh Panchagnula, a professor at Indian Institute of Technology or IIT Madras.

"If we know how these events start and how they propagate through a crowd, there are ways of mitigating it," he told news agency Press Trust of India.

"These kinds of stampedes have clear patterns in how they start. We wanted to understand those early signs and figure out how you place the police people, or what we call ''game-changers'', who then direct the crowd in a way that would prevent a stampede," professor Panchagnula said.

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