KOCHI: Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) on Tuesday came out with an explanation that placed the entire blame for the stampede squarely on the organisers of Dhishna 2023. In an explanation note, the university said the music concert by Nikhita Gandhi was organised without prior permission.
The university had given permission for the conduct of Dhishna 2023 after receiving a proposal from the organising committee that had the Principal of the School of Engineering as the chairman and representatives of the faculty and students as members.
“The decision to give approval was based on the order issued by the university on November 28, 2015, following a High Court directive of October 20, 2015. However, one of the conditions in the order issued by the university was that no concerts or professional music concerts by artists from outside can be held within the campus,” said the statement.
Also, the organisers were given the directive that the programmes need to be held under the supervision of the faculty members, it said.
As per the statement, the organisers had submitted a brochure along with the proposal for Dhishna 2023.
“However, the brochure didn’t say anything about the musical performance by Nikitha Gandhi. It just said that a music concert by the students of SOE will be held,” said the Cusat statement. On the day before the accident, one such musical programme was held as part of Dhishna 2023 at the School of Engineering campus.
Even in the letter given on the eve of the event, the principal did not mention this, said the statement. “If such a notice had been officially given to the university by the organising committee, permission would not have been granted as it was against the conditions prescribed in the order."
As per the statement, as it happens every time such programmes are organised, the programme notice was handed over to the police special branch through the university security officer. “This has been the norm for every programme held on the campus. The university had taken all the security precautions in such situations. Entry into the auditorium was controlled by student volunteers appointed by the organising committee. The presence of police and university security is evident from the video footage,” said the statement.
Ann Rifta laid to rest
In the quiet town of Kurumbathuruthu, grief hung thick in the air when Sindhu cradled the body of her daughter Ann Rifta Roy. Ann, a promising student at Cusat, met an untimely end in the recent amphitheatre stampede, leaving the entire community in sombre silence.
As residents attempted to control their tears, the throngs of mourners who gathered at Sindhu’s residence found themselves inconsolable. The loss of the 20-year-old, who was well-known among the local residents for her performances in Chavittunatakam, a folk theatre art form, put them in a state of despair. Sindhu, employed as a home nurse in Italy, rushed back in the wee hours of Tuesday to bid a final adieu to her beloved daughter.
On Monday evening, the mortal remains of Ann were brought home from the Paravur Taluk Hospital mortuary. The local residents who gathered at Konath House were unable to console Ann’s father, Roy, and her elder brother, Rithul.
Opposition leader V D Satheesan, former minister S Sharma, Hibi Eden MP, MLAs Roji M John and Anwar Sadat, local political leaders, members of Chavittunataka Samiti, and others paid their last respects to Ann Rifta. Later the funeral was held at Kurumbathuruthu st Joseph’s Church at 2pm on Tuesday.