KOCHI: The special investigation team probing the stampede at Cochin University of Science
and Technology (Cusat) that claimed four lives has invoked section 304 A (causing death by negligence) of the IPC.
Earlier, the Kalamassery police registered a case under Section 174 of CrPC for unnatural death and it has been replaced by invoking charges of causing death by negligence after finding severe lapses from the side of the organisers of Tech Fest, Cochin University's annual tech festival.
Police officers said, the investigation is underway and nobody has been booked.
Four people were killed and 60 injured in the stampede that took place before renowned singer Nikita Gandhi was to perform at a musical festival in the open-air auditorium of Cusat in November last year.
Of the four persons who died, three -- Athul Thampi (23), Sara Thomas (19) and Ann Rifta Roy (20)--were
students of the School of Engineering of the Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) and the fourth -- Palakkad-based Alwin -- an electrician who had ended up at the festival by chance.
The police found that the tragic incident was clearly due to severe lapses on the side of those who conducted the event. A special investigation team headed by Thrikkakara ACP P V Baby is carrying out the inquiry.
The investigation team submitted a report before the Kerala High Court that lapses including poor crowd management and having a single exit and entry point at the amphitheatre led to the tragedy. The musical event was organised in an amphitheatre with a capacity of 1,000 to 1,500 people.
The Kerala High Court stated that the stampede was clearly due to 'some failure' and 'should never have happened.'