KOCHI: The atmosphere was festive at Cusat as the students were preparing for a musical night on Saturday when everything turned upside down in a matter of seconds. “I was positioned behind the stage when the screams of a large crowd caught my attention. Upon reaching the front, I witnessed students lying over others with many lying unconscious,” said a member of the event management committee that organised the Nikhita Gandhi musical night.
“When I rushed to extricate them, a few had no movements at all. We promptly shifted them to nearby hospitals using available cars,” he said, requesting anonymity.
Sali, a former student of Cusat who had come to witness the event, said that at the entrance there was no one to manage the influx of visitors. “Attendees, eager for the musical event, endured an hour-long wait for entry. When the gate finally opened, those standing nearby lost their balance and tumbled into the auditorium, nearly 10 ft below,” he said, adding that there were about 100–150 people in the accident. “Everything happened within a matter of seconds,” he said.
Aiswarya, an Infopark employee who witnessed the tragedy firsthand, said the musical night by playback singer Nikhita Gandhi was about to start with only organizers present inside the auditorium. “As the gates were not opened, the impatience grew among those gathered outside. Many began pushing from behind, and when the closed gates unexpectedly opened, the students lost their balance and they fell over each other to the steps some 10-15 feet below,” she said.
Those standing behind, thinking that the gates were opened, pushed forward, and they tumbled down, resulting in the stampede, said Aishwarya.
Overcrowding, faulty amphitheatre caused stampede
Overcrowding and a structurally faulty amphitheatre resulted in the tragedy. Police said over 3,500 students and outsiders were in attendance at the amphitheatre, which can accommodate only 2,000 people. No pass was issued for the event which was open to all. People from different parts of the city attended the concert. “The larger-than-expected crowd was too much for the organisers to handle,” a cop said.
The situation was further exacerbated by the fact that the venue had only one entry and exit point. “The entry and exit gates are at the top of the amphitheatre. People entering the theatre have to descend steep steps. “The concert was scheduled to start at 5pm but was delayed.
Following the rain, people waiting outside the gate broke into the theatre. Those in the front fell to the ground while descending the steps. They were crushed by people behind them and the incident turned fatal,” officers said.
NO SYSTEM FOR CROWD MANAGEMENT
To make things worse, there was no system for crowd management at the amphitheatre. Cusat authorities had not sought police assistance. According to Kalamassery Police, it was private security guards and students who were deployed to handle the crowd and even their numbers were inadequate