November 26th 2023.
Tragedy struck at the Cochin University of Science and Technology in Kerala, India on Saturday, November 25th. During the Tech Fest event, a stampede caused the death of four students and injured 64 others. State health minister Veena George has confirmed the deaths of two boys and two girls. Of the 64 injured, 56 were taken to the hospital, including 17 children who have since been discharged. Five girls remain in critical condition in intensive care.
The stampede occurred when attendees of the music festival tried to get inside the auditorium out of the rain. Famous Bollywood singer Nikhitha Gandhi was scheduled to perform at the event, and people had been gathering in anticipation. Reports indicate that the stampede began when those outside the venue rushed inside for shelter. A faculty member at the university said, “The entry to the programme was restricted with passes. But students and others who didn’t have passes also gathered on the campus premises. Suddenly, rain lashed out and the people thronging outside the auditorium barged into the auditorium. This led to the stampede.” It is also reported that some people slipped on stairs and were trampled.
In response to the tragedy, Kerala state Governor Arif Mohammad Khan released a statement expressing his “deep shock and grief” about the deaths, offering “heartfelt condolences to their families.” Singer Gandhi also shared her condolences, writing she was “heartbroken and devastated” to hear about the incident. She added, “No words are possibly enough to express this profound grief. My prayers go out to the families of the students.”
Kerala’s top elected official, Pinarayi Vijayan, has ordered an investigation into what happened. This tragedy comes 10 years after the deadliest crowd crush in India, which occurred at a religious festival in central Madhya Pradesh and led to 115 deaths.
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