News Mania / Piyal Chatterjee / 7th October 2024
At Chennai’s Marina Beach, a day that was supposed to be a source of pride for the Indian Air Force (IAF) turned into a nightmare when a throng of over 12 lakh people raced toward exits, leaving five people dead and numerous others hospitalized. The IAF’s 92nd anniversary was celebrated with an air show on October 6, which was Chennai’s first in more than 20 years. The sheer volume of people attending the event overpowered both the organizers and the local police, turning what was supposed to be a military aviation spectacle into a chaotic event.
A senior police officer said that by late Sunday evening, five deaths had been confirmed and 40 people were in hospitals. “Over 150 people have received first aid in various parts of the city due to the dehydration and stress they faced. One death was reported on the beach, another near Napier Bridge. Other victims died on their way back home at different places. It was not a stampede situation at one particular place,” the officer said.
Over 12 lakh people attended the event, which was heavily publicized by the IAF, at the expansive Marina Beach. Arriving at the two-kilometer stretch of shoreline before 7 am, people started gathering to have prime views of the 11.30 am to 1 pm air display. Trains, metros, buses, and private cars carrying thousands of people on two and four wheels arrived with families, kids, and the elderly anxious to see the event, which had garnered a place in the Limca Book of Records due to its exceptional turnout.
But when the program concluded at 1 pm, everyone in the crowd tried to leave at once. Since traffic officials were ill-prepared to handle the large-scale evacuation, traffic quickly grew at Marina Beach, causing traffic to stop for over an hour.
Karthikeyan, 34, who was with his family, had a fatal heart attack at Napier Bridge. As temperatures reached 36 degrees Celsius, many showgoers reported experiencing dehydration and fainting. Additionally, there was no easy access to water or medical care, according to visitors.The fatalities included Dinesh, who was discovered unconscious close to the beach; John Babu, 56, a former employee of Omandurar hospital, who passed away while attempting to reclaim his scooter from the hospital’s parking lot; and Srinivasan, 48, who passed away close to Santhome after falling in a parking area. Instead of taking place during a stampede, each of these deaths happened as a result of poor management that left people stranded in crowded conditions for far too long.
Even though the state administration had expected a sizable crowd—roughly 10 lakh people, according to early estimates—the actual turnout was higher than expected. Despite having planned for crowd control, the authorities seemed terribly unprepared for the magnitude of the occasion. Confusion increased due to limited transportation, as Chennai Metro Rail Limited services could not accommodate the large number of guests. Not only did crowds increase along the beach, but also at nearby train stations like Velachery and Government Estate, where images and videos of the extraordinary turnout quickly went viral on social media.
Not far away is the beachside Chepauk Stadium, which can accommodate up to 40,000 spectators during cricket matches. However, the beach saw almost 12 lakh spectators with a fraction of the preparation or management.The Madras University campus on Kamaraj Salai was among the neighboring sites where frantic attendees sought refuge as the mass pushed through the restricted exits and small alleys. These improvised paths, nevertheless, were insufficient to avert the ensuing mayhem.
