What had happened on December 4, 1981, that the iconic monument Qutub Minar was closed forever

The Qutub Minar is one of the most iconic monuments of the Delhi Sultanate, symbolising the city’s rich history and architecture. For years, it has stood tall, attracting thousands of tourists from around the world.However, a tragic incident on December 4, 1981, marked a turning point in its history, leading to the eventual decision to permanently close the entry inside the minaret to the public. It was just a usual day at the iconic monument that unfortunately turned into a nightmare, leaving a lasting impact on the Qutub Minar's legacy.Up until that day, Fridays were a busy affair at Qutub Minar, mainly because entry was free and school and college groups would visit to enjoy a picnic.

But, December 4, 1981, would be remembered for all the wrong reasons. The tragedy that took place that day not only claimed numerous lives but also changed how the monument was perceived and enjoyed by the public.

What exactly happened on December 4, 1981, that led to Qutub Minar’s closure?

On December 4, 1981, the Qutub Minar grounds were packed with visitors, and as usual, the crowds gathered in front of the minar, hoping to catch a glimpse of its majestic height. By 11:00 AM, buses of tourists had arrived, and many were already making their way up the spiral staircase towards the balcony.

At that time, despite the minaret’s top being inaccessible to the public since the 1950s due to safety concerns, visitors could still go to the first balcony, which was roughly as high as a ten-story building.As per a report by The Times of India, things took a dark turn at around 11:30 AM. According to eyewitnesses, “the power supply tripped, and the lights inside went out.” The darkness panicked the visitors, as they desperately tried to find their way out.

In the confined space, the large vents, which provided light and air, were covered, and the atmosphere quickly became suffocating. There was a lot of chaos, and as the crowd struggled to exit and a stampede broke out, and within minutes, the situation turned deadly.

"Within minutes, dozens of people lay dead and injured in the darkness".

Anil Kumar, a student at Aurobindo College who was there that day with his friends, recalled the terrifying moments of the stampede.

“We were descending the dark stairs in a single file when we suddenly found ourselves sliding down uncontrollably," he told TOI. Anil survived the ordeal with chest injuries, but many others weren’t as fortunate.The stampede was worsened by the heavy steel doors at the minar’s gate. These doors, which opened inwards, were pulled shut by the chowkidar as the crowd surged. When hundreds of people attempted to force their way out, the doors jammed, trapping everyone inside.

This made it difficult for rescuers to enter. However, a scaffolding built behind the minaret for repairs proved to be a lifeline. Local hawkers and tourist guides climbed it and entered the minar through the vents, rescuing many survivors and recovering bodies over an hour.When the police and fire brigade arrived, they found the dead laid out on the Qutub lawns, and the injured were rushed to nearby hospitals. The tragedy claimed the lives of 45 people and injured 21 others, according to a statement made by the then Home Minister, Giani Zail Singh.

What did the inquiry report say?

The inquiry report later pointed to multiple causes for the disaster. Survivors gave conflicting accounts of what happened. Some said that a group of unruly boys misbehaved with women tourists, triggering the stampede. Others said that someone slipped and caused a chain reaction of panic.The day after the tragedy, Delhi Police denied receiving any complaints of molestation. However, news reports from that time mentioned that two tourists from New Zealand, Jackie and Marie, had claimed they were molested while inside the minar.

One of the women was even seen leaving the Qutub compound wearing a borrowed lungi and shirt. Later, district and sessions judge Jagdish Chandra’s inquiry report also referenced their harassment, highlighting it as part of the chaos that happened that day.

Was overcrowding the reason behind the tragedy?

Overcrowding was a long-standing issue at the Qutub Minar, especially on holidays. This wasn’t the first stampede either, there had been another incident on August 15, 1978, when a man fainted from suffocation in the packed staircase.

On that occasion, twelve people were injured, six of them seriously. It was clear that crowd management was a serious problem, one that hadn’t been addressed adequately.

Following the December 1981 disaster, Sheila Kaul, the education minister at the time, told the Lok Sabha that crowd control had been in place since the 1950s when tickets were introduced. With 155 steps leading up to the first balcony, a limit of 300 visitors was set at any given time.

The visitors ascended and descended single-file, with only 40-50 people allowed to stand at the balcony at once.For safety, only 50 people would exit the tower before the next batch was allowed to enter. But on busy days like Fridays and holidays, this system became nearly impossible to maintain.

Someone said, “Qutub is falling”!

According to some accounts, more than 500 people were inside the minar on that day, pushing the limits of the monument’s capacity and safety measures.The panic worsened when someone shouted, “Qutub is falling… go down, go down.” The false alarm set off a chain reaction of fear and confusion, leading to the stampede.

The electricity department denied claims of power cut

At first, the Delhi Municipal Corporation denied reports of a power outage at the minar during the crucial period between 10:50 AM and 12:30 PM on December 4. They stated that a truck had hit an electricity pole at 9:15 AM, causing a brief power trip, but that the power had been restored by 10:50 AM.

However, the Chandra Commission's findings contradicted this, concluding that the power failure played a major role in the tragedy.

The Commission also held the Delhi Electricity Supply Undertaking (DESU) responsible for the blackout.

In addition to the power failure, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) was blamed for the poor condition of the stairs, which had dangerous depressions and uneven contours that had never been repaired.

The state of the steps was a major factor in the chaos that followed.According to the inquiry, the stampede was triggered when a girl, who wasn’t one of the New Zealand tourists, slipped near the 8th ventilator of the minar. This caused a group of boys to panic and shout a false alarm. The crowd, which was already packed and disoriented, believed the minar was collapsing and rushed to escape, resulting in the tragic stampede.