The report, submitted to the Ernakulam District Fire Officer, attributes responsibility to both the event organisers and the Public Works Department (PWD) for neglecting safety standards.
Published Dec 30, 2024 | 2:48 PM ⚊ Updated Dec 30, 2024 | 2:50 PM
The temporary stage that served as the VIP gallery (supplied)
The Kerala Fire and Rescue Services has submitted its preliminary report regarding the accident at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kaloor near Kochi, which resulted in Congress MLA Uma Thomas falling from a 14-foot-high temporary VIP stage and sustaining life-threatening injuries.
The report, submitted to the Ernakulam District Fire Officer, highlighted major safety lapses and attributed responsibility to both the event organisers and the Public Works Department (PWD) for neglecting safety standards.
The Thrikkakara MLA was attending Kaloor Mridanga Nadam, a Bharatanatyam performance featuring over 12,000 dancers, as the chief guest.
She fell from the temporary stage that served as the VIP gallery during the dance performance, led by actor Divya Unni, which was aimed at attaining a Guinness World Record.
The findings, which will be sent to the Fire Force Chief on Monday evening, exposed several critical failures in event preparation and safety enforcement.
The stadium is also the home ground of Indian Super League (ISL) team Kerala Blasters and has been hosting matches.
The report identified the absence of essential safety measures, such as sturdy barricades, at the temporary VIP stage constructed for the event.
Regulations mandate that barricades on stages over two metres in height must be at least 1.2 metres tall, a requirement that PWD officials failed to ensure compliance with.
The cordoned-off concrete floor area where Uma Thomas fell (supplied)
Similarly, the report noted that although ambulances were present, no doctors or emergency personnel were stationed on-site.
Seating arrangements also violated safety norms, with chairs placed in two rows instead of the permitted single row, restricting movement and worsening overcrowding.
Additionally, the 55-foot stage allocated just eight feet for seating.
The report also criticised the use of weak queue barriers, which failed to provide adequate hand support.
Another major oversight was the last-minute relocation of the event from the lawn to the stage without notifying security agencies.
In light of the report’s findings, the police and fire service have instructed the organisers not to dismantle the stage until the investigation concludes.
An FIR has been registered at Palarivattom Police Station, citing sections 125 (negligence causing harm), 125(b) (aggravated negligence involving public figures), and 3(5) (failure to ensure public safety at organised events) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, along with section 118(e) (causing danger to public safety through negligence) of the Kerala Police Act, 2011.
Authorities have also taken Krishnakumar, the event manager of Oscar Events into custody.
Additionally, the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) said a high-level inquiry will be conducted into the incident.
GCDA Chairman K Chandran Pillai confirmed that while the organisers had secured permission to use the stadium for the event, they constructed a temporary platform for the lighting ceremony.
“The platform lacked proper safety measures, and a flimsy ribbon tied to steel pipes was used as a barricade. This was a major safety failure,” said Pillai. He added that the MLA lost her balance while attempting to grab the ribbon, leading to her fall.
“The safety clauses in the agreement were clear, and these were violated,” he added.
Pillai further questioned the decision to build a temporary platform, suggesting that the organisers should have utilised the more secure platform above the VIP pavilion, typically used for such events.
In a related development, Mridangavision Managing Director Nikhosh Kumar approached the Kerala High Court for anticipatory bail. Kumar, who is also linked to the event, sought protection from arrest as authorities continue their investigation into the matter.
In a medical bulletin issued on Monday morning, medical officials from Renai Medicity Hospital said that Uma Thomas’s condition was stable but that she would remain under ventilator support for the coming days due to the severity of her lung injuries.
Kerala Congress MLA Uma Thomas
Officials stated that a CT scan of the head conducted on the morning of 30 December revealed that her brain injury was not as severe as originally thought.
They also said that internal bleeding has not worsened. However, lung bruising has increased slightly. An abdominal scan revealed no additional complications.
Meanwhile, Dr Michel Nureo, a neurosurgeon at Renai Medicity, informed South First that Uma Thomas would likely require an extended period of ventilation.
A detailed scan identified an undisplaced cervical spine fracture.
Doctors said an immediate surgical intervention is unnecessary but procedures may be considered once her condition improves.
Dr Michel Nureo, a neurosurgeon at Renai Medicity, informed @TheSouthfirst that MLA Uma Thomas is likely to require an extended period of ventilation. pic.twitter.com/ZDu2DawJbm
— South First (@TheSouthfirst) December 30, 2024
In another development, fresh allegations of mismanagement and unfulfilled promises by the dancers against the organisers of the event sparked another controversy.
A dancer who participated in the event revealed that she had spent ₹5,100, including ₹3,500 as a registration fee and ₹1,600 for a costume.
In a historic event at Kaloor Stadium, 12000 dancers led by actor Divyaa Unni set a new Guinness World Record for the largest Bharatanatyam performance in India surpassing the previous record of 10,500 dancers. The event, titled MridangaNadam, received official recognition from… pic.twitter.com/bLSlTv7C3G
— South First (@TheSouthfirst) December 30, 2024
The organisers reportedly promised silk sarees but instead provided ordinary cotton sarees, causing widespread disappointment.
They also allegedly required participants to cover their expenses for food, accommodation, and makeup, despite earlier assurances of better arrangements.
The event, aimed at achieving a Guinness World Record, was also criticised for not halting the performance following Uma Thomas’s fall, despite her role as the chief guest.
(Edited by Dese Gowda.)
