Stampede At Kerala's CUSAT Campus: 4 Are Critical, 3-Member Team To Probe - Top Developments

Four students were killed, and over 60 were injured in a stampede during Cochin University's annual festival on Saturday evening. The incident occurred before well-known singer Nikita Gandhi's performance in the open-air auditorium of Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT).

Four students, including two boys and two girls, lost their lives, while over 60 others are undergoing treatment at Kalamassery Medical College Hospital and some other hospitals nearby, according to State Health Minister Veena George.

Top Developments

• State Health Minister Veena George has said that four more students are in critical condition. Two girls identified as Geetanjali and Sheeba have seriously suffered brain, lung and liver injuries, as per Mathrubhumi. Their condition is critical.
• As per Collector NSK Umesh, many among the injured have suffered broken limbs and ribs. However, they are not in serious danger.
• The Kerala government on Saturday ordered an investigation. State Higher Education Minister R Bindhu has directed a three-member team, comprising the principal secretary of higher education, and Cochin University's vice-chancellor and registrar, to inquire into the stampede incident, an official release said.
• Chief Minister 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. Vijayan, who chaired the meeting, later announced that all cultural and art events planned in connection with the ongoing Nava Kerala Sadas programme in the northern district on Sunday have been cancelled.

• Nikita Gandhi has expressed her heartbreak and devastation in a Facebook post. She said that the incident took place before she could even leave for the venue for the performance. She wrote, "No words are possibly enough to express this profound grief. My prayers go out to the families of the students."
• ADGP M R Ajith Kumar stated that the audience rushed to the auditorium using the stairs when there was a sudden downpour, leading to a stampede and subsequent deaths.
• "It was an annual festival, and from the brochure, we understood that it was held from November 24 to November 26." "It was partially filled. But when the rains lashed suddenly, the students rushed through the stairs, leading to the tragedy," Kumar told reporters.
• While initial reports suggested that the stampede occurred during the Nikitha Gandhi musical performance, officials later said that the singer had not begun her performance when the tragedy struck. "The entry to the programme was restricted to ticket holders. However, several local residents were also outside the auditorium during the musical show," an eyewitness told the media.
• Disagreement persists regarding the actual trigger of the stampede, with students present at the scene asserting that the surge occurred after the rain had stopped. A large crowd had gathered in front of the gate to participate in the concert.
• Reports indicate attempts were made to redirect some students. The gate was opened, leading those on the stairs near the gate to be pushed forward. It was at this point that students lost control, resulting in falls. Some students mentioned that the steep stairs contributed to the incident, and the entire sequence of events unfolded within a span of 10 minutes.