Four killed, 50 injured in Cochin University stampede

KOCHI: Four students, two of them women, died in a stampede during a fest at Kerala’s Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) late Saturday evening. The tragedy was apparently triggered by rain that caused waiting throngs to suddenly rush into an auditorium where singer Nikhita Gandhi was performing.
Around 50 others were injured and hospitalised, with four of them critical.“Entry to the programme was restricted to pass-holders. But students and others who didn’t have such passes had also gathered on the campus,” a Cusat faculty member said.
As more people rushed into the auditorium, some fell off the stairs leading to the hall. Then, more fell on those already lying on the floor, an eyewitness said, adding that the lack of multiple exits worsened the crush.

ADGP MR Ajith Kumar and city police commissioner A Akbar claimed the organisers had not informed them about the event.
Three of the deceased have been identified as Athul Thampi, Ann Rufta and Sarah Thomas, all Cusat students. Saturday was the concluding day of the fest, Dhishna, and it drew students from tech colleges across the state.
According to ADGP Kumar, the size of the auditorium indicated it had a 1,000-1,500 capacity. “It seems like a freak accident since there is no reason for it to happen here in normal cases. The auditorium was only partly filled inside and the crowd outside was also not that big,” said ADGP Kumar. The victims were rushed to Ernakulam Government Medical College and a private hospital in the city.

Health minister Veena George said: “Surgical interventions are the need of the hour. A team of surgeons from neighbouring districts has been mobilised and brought to Ernakulam medical college.
CM Pinarayi Vijayan held an emergency meeting at a government guest house in Kozhikode in the wake of the tragedy and condoled the death of students. He also deputed ministers P Rajeev and R Bindhu to rush to the campus in Kalamassery to coordinate various measures.

Cusat vice-chancellor PG Sankaran said the event had not been conducted in the past three years due to the pandemic. The campus is located along a busy national highway leading to the airport and other major roads. “Motorists and passers-by reached the campus to catch a glimpse of the event,” an eyewitness said.