Chennai/New Delhi: Four people have died and 96 have been hospitalised after attending an air show held at Chennai’s Marina Beach Sunday by the Indian Air Force, as lakhs of people were reportedly left stranded at the beach after the event as the traffic authorities allegedly failed to manage the massive crowd. The exact cause of death is yet to be ascertained.
The deceased have been identified as Perungalathur resident Srinivasan (48), Thiruvotriyur resident Karthikeyan (34), Korukupettai resident John Babu (56), and one Dinesh. The event was organised by the Air Force ahead of its 92nd anniversary.
In video clips being circulated on the microblogging site X, several people can be seen struggling to disperse amid extreme heat Sunday afternoon. Chennai had witnessed such an air show after 21 years, and at least 14 lakh people were in attendance. However, Greater Chennai police said that they had expected only about 10 lakh people.
The event began at around 11 am. Thousands of people, according to reports, had started gathering at the beach early in the morning to find a good spot to witness the show.
At the end of the show, people tried to exit the show at the same time, reportedly causing a stampede-like situation, which eventually led to a complete traffic blockade.
Due to the chaos that followed, water vendors were reportedly removed from the location by the authorities, which also left people with no access to drinking water, and the scorching heat causing several elderly attendees to faint.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, Deputy Chief Minister Udhyanidhi Stalin and Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal AK Singh, were present at the event.
The authorities’ alleged failure to control the crowd has caught flak on X with people slamming the lack of proper planning and coordination. In short video clips shared on X, several people at the beach can be seen standing under umbrellas to shelter themselves from the extreme heat.
A user on X who shared the video wrote that the programme lacked proper entry and exit planning. “The worst ever experience #IndianAirForceDay2024. The show was amazing, but the planning was pathetic… so many kids lost, people fainting. No proper entry and exit planned. Complete nightmare in Chennai Marina. #ChennaiAirShow2024,” he wrote.
Sharing a video of a massive road blockade near the site of the event, another X user wrote: “Horrible governance and traffic management. The entire stretch from LB Road, Sardar Patel Road and Adyar Bridge is packed without an inch of a gap. Pathetic @mkstalin @Udhaystalin #AirShow2024 #ChennaiAirShow2024 #AirShow”
Other videos show people pushing each other, with many trying to jump the gates to escape.
Railway as well as metro stations were also overwhelmed with the heavy footfall after the show. Southern Railways said that as many as three lakh people travelled via the Chennai Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) Sunday till 4.30 pm, whereas the usual footfall is only 55,000.
To tackle the issue, the Chennai Metro Rail announced that trains would be running at a frequency of 3.5 minutes between the Washermanpet Metro Station & AG DMS Metro Station. Trains were run at a seven-minute frequency in the Corridor-1 section (Wimco Nagar Depot Metro-Airport Metro), The New Indian Express reported.
There are also video clips of people knocking the doors of those living in the areas around the beach, driven by the lack of drinking water.
Chief Minister Stalin is yet to react to the incident. He did share a post on X applauding the air show in the afternoon.
Chennai has enjoyed the spectacular show in its sky by the superstars – our #IAF heroes!
Thank you @IAF_MCC!#Airshow2024 pic.twitter.com/8ctBJHc33a
— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) October 6, 2024
The 92nd Air Force Day will be marked on 8 October. Fighter aircraft Sukhoi Su-30MKI and Sarang helicopter team featured in the aerial display at Sunday’s event. Additionally, 72 other aircraft took part.
(Edited by Mannat Chugh)
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