A stampede occurred at a campus festival in Kerala, resulting in the death of four students and over 50 injuries. The incident took place at Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) during a performance by singer Nikhita Gandhi. The stampede was triggered by a sudden downpour, according to the police.
Authorities and police officers stated that there was only one gate for entry and exit to the open-air auditorium where the event was taking place. Organizers were allowing entry in batches to those with passes, while a long queue of excited youngsters formed outside. Despite entry being restricted to pass holders, many local residents had gathered outside the auditorium, as reported by an eyewitness.
Senior police officer MR Ajith Kumar revealed that the auditorium had a capacity of at least 1,000, with many vacant seats at the time of the stampede. The incident occurred before the program started, and the auditorium was not full. Passes were being checked, and entry was being allowed in batches. However, when it started raining, chaos ensued as people broke queues and pushed to get in. Some individuals fell on the steps, causing others to trample over them, resulting in the tragic deaths.
The officer described the incident as a freak accident, emphasizing that it should not have occurred given the auditorium’s sufficient capacity. Another factor contributing to the tragedy was the announcement that engineering students would be allowed entry first, causing restlessness among students from other streams. When the rain started, they took the opportunity to jump the queue and rushed in, according to sources.
NDTV discovered that the steps near the open-air auditorium were steep, potentially causing students to lose balance during the rush. Additionally, the use of a single gate for both entry and exit also contributed to the incident, according to Municipal Councillor Pramod.
In response to the tragedy, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan held an emergency meeting of ministers and expressed condolences. Health Minister Veena George will coordinate necessary steps for the treatment of the injured. The events planned for Nava Kerala Sadas, an outreach program of the ruling CPM, have been canceled.
Singer Nikhita Gandhi also expressed her deep grief and condolences for the families of the students who lost their lives in a social media post.
