A dreadful incident marred the ambiance of the Cochin University of Science and Technology's (CUSAT) open-air tech festival in Kochi, resulting in the loss of four students' lives and leaving dozens injured, with several in critical condition.
The calamity unfolded around 7 pm when students hurried to seek shelter from the sudden rain in an auditorium on the campus, leading to a chaotic rush that resulted in a stampede. Political representatives from the locality indicated that students rushing to the auditorium encountered stair-related mishaps, causing the unfortunate stampede.
The victims tragically lost in the mishap are identified as Athul Thambi, Ann Ruftha, Sara Thomas, and Alwin Joseph, with the latter being the only one not enrolled as an engineering student at CUSAT.
The Tech Fest, a widely anticipated event that commenced on Friday, was set to conclude on Sunday. The festival drew students not only from CUSAT but also from various other institutions, along with local residents, assembling on the campus grounds.
ADGP M.R. Ajith Kumar, upon visiting the site, acknowledged the arrangements made by the organizers regarding the entry to the festival. However, concerns arose regarding the alleged shortage of police presence, purportedly due to a significant deployment of security personnel for an ISL match at the Jawahar Lal Nehru stadium.
The tragic incident has cast a pall over the vibrant festivity, prompting a thorough review of safety protocols and the need for enhanced vigilance to prevent such distressing mishaps in the future.
