Mon Oct 07 05:12:36 UTC 2024: ## Chennai Air Show Turns Tragic: 5 Dead, Hundreds Injured in Stampede and Heat

**Chennai:** A grand air show held in Chennai on Sunday to mark the Indian Air Force’s 92nd anniversary turned tragic as five people died and over 200 were hospitalized after a stampede and heatstroke. The incident occurred at Marina Beach where lakhs of people had gathered to witness the show.

The deceased have been identified as Srinivasan (48), Kartikeyan (34), and John (56), among others. According to media reports, poor traffic management led to massive crowds being trapped in the city, with people stuck in traffic jams for hours.

The air show, which was organized to make it into the Limca Book of World Records, saw an estimated 1.6 million people attending. The event, which commenced at 11 am, saw people gathering at Marina Beach as early as 8 am. Many elderly people fainted due to the heat even before the show began.

The situation worsened as water vendors were removed from the vicinity, leaving attendees with little access to drinking water. As the show ended, a surge of the massive crowd attempting to exit through Kamaraj Salai caused complete traffic blockage.

The chaos further spilled over to metro stations as people sought alternate routes home, leading to overcrowding. The situation was particularly alarming at Lighthouse Metro Station near Marina Beach and Velachery Chennai MRTS Railway Station, where people were packed shoulder-to-shoulder.

“The air show was a spectacle to behold, but the sheer number of attendees and the lack of proper crowd management turned it into a disaster,” said a witness. “The heat, the lack of water, and the panic during the exit led to chaos and tragedy. People are angry over the poor planning and lack of preparation.”

The air show featured a spectacular display of aerial prowess by 72 aircraft, including the Rafale, Surya Kiran, Sarang, and heritage aircraft like the Harvard T-6G. The show also featured the Advanced Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, Sukhoi 30 MKI, C17, C-295, Apache, Light Combat Helicopter Prachand, and Dakota.

The event has raised serious concerns about crowd management and safety protocols at large-scale events. Authorities are facing criticism for failing to anticipate the scale of the crowd and provide adequate infrastructure to ensure the safety of the attendees.

Read More