A day meant to mark a moment of national pride for the Indian Air Force (IAF) turned into a nightmare at Chennai’s Marina Beach, when a crowd of more than 12 lakh people surged toward exits, leaving five dead and many hospitalised.
The October 6 air show, held to commemorate the IAF’s 92nd anniversary, was the first such event in Chennai in over two decades. What was intended to be a spectacle of military aviation ended in chaos as the sheer size of the crowd overwhelmed both organisers and local authorities.
According to reports, people felt suffocated due to the heavy crowd and a total of 230 people fainted due to the scorching sun and heavy crowd. Out of these, the condition of 93 people deteriorated and they were admitted to the nearby hospital.
“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,” a police officer said.
Though the air show by the Indian Air Force (IAF) on the sandy Marina Beach was a big draw, several thousand people who converged on the idyllic shore on Sunday found it extremely arduous to return home after the event.
The bus stop at Anna Square, in close proximity to the aerial display venue, overflowed with people. “Nearly a dozen people swooned on the Marina due to a near stampede-like situation and also because of the hot weather, and they were treated at a government facility,” a senior police official said.
Families, children, and the elderly arrived by trains, metros, buses, and private vehicles – thousands of four-wheelers and two-wheelers – eager to witness the show, which had even earned a spot in the Limca Book of Records for its unprecedented attendance.
However, when the event ended at 1 pm, the entire crowd attempted to leave the area at once. Traffic authorities were unprepared to manage the mass exodus, and soon, congestion built up around Marina Beach, paralysing movement for more than an hour.
