Blitz Bureau
CHENNAI: A day meant to mark a moment of national pride for the Indian Air Force (IAF) turned into a nightmare at Chennai’s Marina Beach, when a crowd of more than 12 lakh people surged toward exits, leaving five dead and many hospitalised.
The October 6 air show, held to commemorate the IAF’s 92nd anniversary, was the first such event in Chennai in over two decades. What was intended to be a spectacle of military aviation ended in chaos as the sheer size of the crowd overwhelmed both organisers and local authorities.
A senior police officer said that by late evening, five deaths had been confirmed and 40 people were in hospitals. “Over 150 people have received first aid in various parts of the city due to the dehydration and stress they faced. One death was reported on the beach, another near Napier Bridge. Other victims died on their way back home at different places. It was not a stampede situation at one particular place,” the officer said.
The event, widely publicised by both the IAF, attracted more than 12 lakh spectators to the sprawling Marina Beach. By 7 am, people had begun assembling at the two-kilometre stretch of coastline to secure vantage points for the 11.30 am to 1 pm air show.
