4 killed, over 60 injured in a stampede during event at Kerala varsity

The deceased were identified as Athul Thampi, Ann Rifta, Jithendra Damu and Sara Thomas.

KOCHI: At least four students were killed and over 60 sustained injuries in a stampede situation during a concert at the Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT), in Kerala on Saturday.

People gather outside after a stampede at the venue of a music concert at the Cochin University of Science and Technology in Kochi on Saturday. Four people died and dozens of students were injured in the incident. (AP)

Officials familiar with the matter said the concert, which featured playback singer Nikhita Gandhi, was being held at the university’s open-air auditorium during an annual tech fest when sudden rains forced the audience to scamper for shelter.

“The deceased include two boys and two girls who were brought dead at the hospital. At least 64 people were rushed to Kalamassery Medical College Hospital and some other hospitals following the incident. Four students among the injured are in critical condition. State industries minister and local MLA P Rajeev and higher education minister R Bindu have left for the spot,” state health minister Veena George told reporters in Kozhikode.

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CUSAT Vice-Chancellor Prof PG Sankaran, who visited the hospitals where the injured are being treated, said: “As part of Tech Fest, a musical programme was also organised. Unfortunately, the crowd was huge and there was rain. The steps created some problems and some students fell down. The number of people injured I can only tell tomorrow. More than 2,000 people attended. Two students are critical.”

“The deceased are students of the engineering department. We had informed the police about the university programme. People from outside also usually attend our programmes. As per the initial information I got, those who were standing outside on the steps leading to the auditorium tried to get in and the crowd fell on the steps on top of each other,” he added.

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Deputy registrar of the university, Muhammed Salim TB, also blamed the huge influx of outsiders “Before the concert could begin, those who were outside the auditorium tried to enter it. It also rained slightly at the time. The auditorium was already full. The attendees fell on the steps leading to the hall as part of the stampede,” he said.

Identifying the deceased as Athul Thampi, Ann Rifta, Jithendra Damu and Sara Thomas, he said the university would soon constitute a committee to probe the incident.

Condoling the deaths, Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said: “The tragedy at the CUSAT campus has shocked the state. I join the families of the four students who died in their grief. I have directed that the best possible medical care be given to the injured. There will be a detailed examination of the incident. The celebrations and other programmes as part of the Nava Kerala Sadas on Sunday have been cancelled.”