Kerala: CUSAT stampede occurred due to overcrowding, says police report
The report cites that the incident at CUSAT occurred due to the auditorium being overcrowded, with four thousand people present while its capacity was only for one thousand.
FollowKochi: The police have submitted a report to the High Court explaining the cause of the accident at CUSAT (Cochin University of Science and Technology). The report cites that the incident occurred due to the auditorium being overcrowded, with four thousand people present while its capacity was only for one thousand. Attendees had come from outside the campus to participate in the concert, and the organizers failed to anticipate the overwhelming number of participants.
The construction of the stairs leading to the auditorium also contributed to the accident. The investigation report submitted by the commissioner to the court also criticizes the lack of sufficient staff assigned to control the congestion. This report was presented in response to a petition filed by KSU (Kerala Students Union) requesting a judicial inquiry into the tragedy at CUSAT. The plea is scheduled to be heard again on January 18.Â
The petition was filed by KSU state president Aloysius Xavier. The petitioner alleged that the registrar ignored the letter sent by the School of Engineering principal seeking security for the event. The petition also stated that the registrar ignored the High Court guidelines regarding the celebrations in the universities.
The victims were attendees of a musical night organized at the campus amphitheater as part of the Tech Fest, arranged by students from the CUSAT School of Engineering. The tragic incident occurred when individuals standing on the road attempted to force their way into the amphitheater due to rain.Â
As the crowd pushed forward, those standing on the steps near the gate were pushed down in a stampede, leading to a cascading effect of more people falling on top of each other. This resulted in the tragic deaths of four individuals. The victims included second-year civil engineering students Athul Thambi from Koothatukulam, Ann from North Paravur, Sara Thomas from Thamarassery, and Albin Joseph from Palakkad.
