MANGALURU: Around 10 women fell ill due to dehydration in a stampede-like situation that occured during an event attended by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at Puttur in Dakshina Kannada on Monday.
CM Siddaramaiah attended the programme 'Ashoka Janamana - 2025' organised under the leadership of Puttur MLA Ashok Rai on the occasion of Deepavali to distribute plates and clothes to the public. It took place at the Puttur Taluk Stadium.
The programme commenced late from the scheduled time and was concluded by 4 pm when lunch was served. Sources in the police department said that the stadium could not accommodate people who had gathered in large numbers.
"People stormed the place where lunch and other items were served leading to a stampede-like situation. The incident occured due to delay in supply of lunch and gifts and women fell ill due to dehydration. Three women were given IV fluids and 7 other women have already been discharged," a police source said.
Since the crowd exceeded the stadium capacity, several people, especially women and children felt suffocated due to overcrowding and lack of oxygen and fell ill soon after CM Siddaramaiah left the venue. People gathered there said that there was no proper drinking water facility. Many women who had brought children to the venue struggled in the muddy stadium ground.
The injured are Vasanthi, aged 53, Fathima, aged 20, Nethravathi 37, Leelavathi, aged 53, Rathnavathi, aged 70 and a few others. They were shifted to Puttur taluk government hospital and are out of danger. No casualties were reported in the incident.