Chennai: Tamil Nadu BJP chief Annamalai blamed the state government for the deaths during the Chennai Indian Air Force show on Sunday. The leader alleged that the state government didn’t make proper arrangements for the spectators of the event on the Marina beach.
“I was shocked to hear that 5 people died due to crowding and more than 200 people were injured and admitted to the hospital for treatment during the IAF ‘AIR Show’ program held at Chennai Marina Beach. The only reason for this is that the DMK government has not taken care of the safety of the public without providing basic facilities and adequate transport arrangements for the public who came to witness the IAF Air Show,” Annamalai wrote in a post on social platform X.
Attacking Chief Minister MK Stalin, Annamalai asked why could not he ensure proper arrangements.
“I strongly condemn chief minister MK Stalin and the DMK government for ruling only for his family and without any concern for the lives of the people, which has caused the death of 5 persons and the misery of hundreds of families. The Chief Minister must be answerable to the public on this matter,” he said.
Earlier, Opposition leader and AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi Palaniswami also condemned the DMK over the deaths. “This pains me. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families. My strong condemnation of the DMK government for failing to properly coordinate even such an important event. My strong condemnation to this MK Stalin government for failing to provide proper security for this event,” he said.
But such claims were refuted by the Tanil Nadu Health Minister, Ma Subramanian. The minister stated that they provided more than what the IAF initially requested for the event. He highlighted that full administrative cooperation was given to ensure the show’s success. The Health Minister said IAF wanted them to keep ready around 100 beds, but 4,000 beds were kept ready.
At least five spectators, who had gathered at Chennai’s Marina Beach to watch the Indian Air Force’s spectacular aerial display to mark its 92nd anniversary died after the show.
Thousands had gathered to witness the city’s first airshow in over two decades. However, the thrilling display of the Air Force’s prowess in the skies turned into a disaster as the crowds overwhelmed the authorities, reports stated.
The Indian Air Force was aggressively pushing this event to set a Limca Book of World Record by aiming to mobilise 15 lakh spectators. But, this was much beyond manageable. Questions are being raised on poor crowd and traffic management.
Ahead of the event, everything seemed smooth with largescale traffic diversion and parking regulations. But closer to the air show, which was scheduled at 11 am, the crowd looked unmanageable. It swelled and got so large that the elevated MRTS railway stations along the
Marina Beach road turned into a sea of people, eyewitnesses claimed.
According to reports, chaos broke out after the event. When the crowd started to disperse, not a single inch of the space looked empty, claimed reports.
There was allegedly no adequate arrangement for drinking water in the spectators’ area, an NDTV report claimed. It has also been alleged that with temperature soaring and no public transport, hundreds had to walk three to four kilometres on the jam-packed roads to avail conveyance. Eyewitnesses claimed that children sat by the side of the road, tired and dehydrated. Many claimed that they saw several fainting on the spot.
Many others, almost 100 of them, had to be hospitalised after suffering from heatstroke and dehydration, the report claimed. They were later discharged after receiving the necessary medical aid.