KOCHI: Even a year after the stampede, the police are yet to complete the investigation and file a chargesheet. Police say they are awaiting a report from the public works department (PWD), which carried out a structural study of the amphitheatre, and a report of the magisterial enquiry ordered by the district collector.
The district administration and the Cusat management too had announced inquiries into the incident. A police officer who was part of the investigation team said they have probed all aspects of the stampede.
“Our probe revealed that the stampede occurred due to poor event organisation and the amphitheatre’s structural issues. The students were given the charge of managing a crowd of around 3,000 persons. Only one entry point was used for such a large crowd. Also, the path from the entrance had steep descending steps. In their hurry, several people fell on the steps and were crushed by those following them,” the officer said.
The PWD was tasked with studying the amphitheatre as the department has the expertise in examining structure issues, said P V Baby, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Thrikkakara, who headed the probe.
“We are awaiting their report to complete the investigation. Also, we are looking to get a copy of the report of the magisterial enquiry ordered by the district collector. We expect to complete the investigation and file a chargesheet soon,” the ACP said.
A PWD official in Kochi said they could spot multiple structural issues at the amphitheatre. “We will be submitting the report soon,” he said.
The then School of Engineering principal, Deepak Kumar Sahu, was arraigned by the police as the first accused in the case. Two teachers, Girish Kumaran Thampi and Vijay, who were in charge of the fest, are the other accused. The police have charged them under IPC section 304A for causing death by negligence.
Sahu had maintained that he had written to the Cusat registrar requesting adequate security arrangements. Initially, the university took the stand that no such letter was received. But the registrar, in an affidavit filed at the High Court, confirmed that a letter from the SoE principal was received and forwarded to the security officer on November 24.