3 dead at Chennai air show, 230 hospitalised due to dehydration

Chennai Air Show: The air show, which aimed to enter the Limca Book of World Records by gathering around 16 lakh people, began at 11 am and continued until 1 pm.

In Short

• Poor traffic coordination, no access to water at Chennai air show
• Air show began at 11 am, continued till 1 pm
• Elderly attendees fainted due to heat before event started

At least three people died, and 230 others were hospitalised as a result of dehydration during an air show in Chennai, held to celebrate the 92nd anniversary of the Indian Air Force (IAF), authorities said.

The air show, intended to be a thrilling display of the IAF's aerial prowess, turned tragic as the combination of high temperatures and overcrowding overwhelmed attendees.

The three victims have been identified as Srinivasan (48) from Perungalathur, Karthikeyan (34) from Thiruvottiyur, and John (56) from Korukuppet.

Lakhs of people were left stranded after the grand air show came to a standstill due to poor coordination by traffic authorities. Several parts of the state capital witnessed similar occurrences as the massive crowd, gathered at Marina Beach, struggled to disperse after the event.

The air show, which aimed to enter the Limca Book of World Records by gathering around 16 lakh people, began at 11 am and continued until 1 pm. However, thousands of people had already gathered as early as 8 am to secure a good spot, under the blazing sun.

Several elderly attendees fainted due to heat exhaustion before the event even started.

Adding to the crowd's discomfort, nearby water vendors were removed, leaving attendees without access to drinking water. As the show ended, the enormous crowd attempted to exit simultaneously onto Kamarajar Salai, leading to a complete traffic blockade.

Weary from the sun and congestion, many people were forced to sit along the roadside to recover their strength.

Fortunately, residents near the beach came to the rescue, offering drinking water to those in need. However, metro stations became overwhelmed as people sought alternative ways to return home.

Tamil Nadu BJP Chief K Annamalai expressed deep shock over the incident, placing the blame squarely on the state's ruling DMK government. “The loss of five lives cannot be passed off as an accident,” Annamalai stated, adding that the administration failed to provide basic safety measures and transportation arrangements. He further criticised Chief Minister MK Stalin, accusing him of neglecting public safety in favour of political promotion.

In his scathing remarks, Annamalai condemned the DMK government, saying it was more focused on family politics than addressing the concerns of the people. He called for the Chief Minister to be held accountable for what he described as "the misery of hundreds of families" affected by the tragedy. "The Chief Minister must be answerable to the public," Annamalai insisted.

AIADMK leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami expressed his grief and anger, extending condolences to the families of the victims. In a strongly worded tweet, he condemned the Tamil Nadu government for its mismanagement, stating, "My strong condemnation to the MK Stalin government for failing to provide proper security for this event."

The chaotic aftermath has sparked public outcry over the lack of planning and preparation. Comparisons have been drawn to the cancellation of actor Vijay's TVK public meeting due to concerns about crowd management, while the authorities seemingly failed to make adequate arrangements for the lakhs who attended the air show.