CHENNAI: Minister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department PK Sekar Babu informed the Assembly on Monday that steps will be taken to prevent tragedies such as the Chithirai festival stampede in the future.
The minister interrupted the speech of AIADMK member and former minister RB Udhayakumar, who alleged that security and safety arrangements were lacking during the Chithirai festival in Madurai, resulting in the stampede in which two persons died.
Sekar Babu said the district collector, ministers P Moorthy and Palanivel Thiaga Rajan and the Madurai Mayor conducted review meetings on the event last month. The district collector also inspected in person, events such as the celestial marriage and car festivals.
Based on the inspection, a total of 3,000 police personnel were pressed into service and 30 CCTV cameras were installed. Also, to help people, on behalf of the Madurai Corporation and the police department, two mobile apps were developed for the event.
The reason for the stampede, the minister said, was that for the Chithirai Pournami festival, more than 15 lakh people gathered as the fest was conducted after three years. Elaborating on the government’s swift action following the stampede, the minister said on coming to know about the deaths, CM MK Stalin immediately instructed ministers Moorthy and Palanivel Thiaga Rajan to rush to the victims’ families and console them. Of the 12 injured persons, six were discharged from the hospital, the minister said.