After the event, there was a huge traffic jam as people tried to leave the beach simultaneously, largely due to inadequate arrangements to disperse the crowd through different routes.
Published Oct 08, 2024 | 12:00 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 08, 2024 | 2:49 PM
The crowd that gathered in Marina beach to watch the airshow. (X)
The waves gently crashed and rolled onto the beach as Chennai started arriving at the Marina on Sunday, 6 October.
The golden sands looked inviting as people poured in, and a sea of humanity soon met the Bay of Bengal.
In a few minutes, the city was to witness a grandeur airshow, held after two decades, as part of the Indian Air Force’s 92nd anniversary.
Hours later, Air Force authorities would say around 15 lakh were on the beach, their eyes fixed on the blue sky, and excited cries trying to match the roar of Su-30s’ daring maneuvers, rotating in midair during a high-speed ascent in a spectacular display of “loop-tumble-yaw.”
The sky was perfect; so was the sea. The breathtaking display by about 72 aircraft up above, too, was impeccably matchless. However, down on the ground, things were far from perfect.
People had started descending on Marina Beach as early as 7 am, four hours before the first aircraft soared into the sky. The setting initially was calm, a gentle breeze caressing the early visitors. As the day progressed, the sun, too, came out in full glory, beating down on the crowd with a merciless intent.
As the show ended around 1 pm, people rushed out, eager to catch the first vehicle home. It created a stampede-like situation as the 7,500-odd police personnel, tasked with managing the crowd, remained overwhelmed.
Forty ambulances and medical teams stationed at the venue fell short when they were most needed.
Water was scarce, and heat fierce. Many fell unconscious, and five people were declared dead in the melee. By some accounts, people had to endure the heat and thirst for about four hours before they could leave the now miserable place.
What began as a breathtaking show soon turned hell, as people gasped for breath, and clamoured for a sip of water.
“We had to stay at the same place for almost four hours. We were not even able to move from one place to another. The drinking water supply was inadequate and there were no toilets nearby,” one of the spectators recalled the chaos.
“After getting trapped in the crowd, I became unconscious,” he said, refusing to identify himself. He was among the 230-odd people who fell unconscious on and around the Marina on Sunday.
The milling crowd spilled over to the roads adjacent to the beach. An ambulance, unable to move, kept wailing. Inside the vehicle, a pregnant woman cried in labour.
Realising the gravity of the situation, a few youngsters — all strangers to each other — joined hands. They took her on a stretcher and ran towards the hospital, as the wail of the ambulance drowned in the clamour of the crowd. The scene looked straight out of a war movie — chaos, confusion, pain, and tears.
Not many were as lucky as the pregnant woman. They gasped, and suffered, as cold sweat rolled down their bodies. Those with symptoms of uneasiness were shifted one by one to government hospitals in Omandurar and Royapetta.
Yet, five people did not make it to the hospital alive on the Sunday when Chennai gasped and flailed to stay alive.
The blame game — religiously followed after each tragedy — soon began. Some blamed the timing — 11 am to 1 pm — of the show for the Pandemonium and consequent tragedy. Many others held the government and the inadequate crowd-management mechanisms responsible.
Tamil Nadu Health and Family Welfare Minister Ma Subramanian claimed that the state government provided all amenities that the Air Force had asked for and that the deaths were not due to overcrowding. He blamed the extreme heat for the deaths.
During the event, the lack of water due to heatstroke has been the main reason for many people to faint. Enraged people were seen venting their anger at Marina Beach.
After the event, there was a huge traffic jam as people tried to leave the beach simultaneously, largely due to inadequate arrangements to disperse the crowd through different routes.
Speaking about the status of those admitted to the hospital, Rajiv Gandhi Hospital Dean Dr Terani Rajan said, “A total of 43 people were admitted. 40 people were admitted as outpatients. One person was brought dead. Currently, two people are undergoing treatment.”
Similarly, out of 49 people admitted to Omandurar Government Medical College Hospital, 46 were outpatients and two of them were brought dead. One patient is still undergoing treatment.
Of the 10 people admitted to the Rayapete Government Hospital, seven were outpatients and two were brought dead. Now only one is receiving treatment.
Due to the lack of proper regulations, there were heavy traffic jams in various parts of the city while the event was going on.
Meanwhile, the suburban trains and metro in the city were also crowded. The railway and metro administrations were overwhelmed as they were unable to cope with the crowding.
Several members of the public felt the government should have conducted mass gathering events with proper planning and preparations.
People said it should have been foreseen that so many lakhs of people would gather and arrangements should have been made accordingly.
“Failure to do all that has led to such a tragedy. Attempting to portray this as an unexpected mistake is unacceptable,” a Chennai resident told South First.
For the few days preceding the event, the news about this air show had been running on news channels and social media.
The absence of any other major events in the city, including movie releases, also swelled the large crowd.
Meanwhile, different government departments tried to wash their hands of saying they had nothing to do with the tragedy. Authorities were unwilling to take responsibility for the people’s suffering.
People also pointed out that such incidents could be prevented in the future only if the authorities concerned admitted the mistakes.
A person questioned whether it was right for the government to shirk its accountability while claiming to work for the people.
Despite it being the government’s responsibility to ensure the safety of those gathered, they are instead focusing on claiming a world record for the largest gathering to witness an adventurous event.
(Edited by Majnu Babu)
