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Chennai air show deaths: BJP blames MK Stalin, calls them state-sponsored murders; DMK says ‘happened in temples also’
Chennai air show deaths: DMK leader Kanimozhi said unmanageable gatherings should also be avoided.
Chennai air show deaths: The shocking deaths of five spectators at the Chennai air show have triggered a bitter war of words between political parties in Tamil Nadu, with the BJP blaming the MK Stalin government for the tragedy. While the opposition party claimed the incident showed the government's incompetence, the ruling DMK played down the deaths saying such incidents have "also happened in many temple festivals".
"The tragic deaths of five people and more than 200 people being hospitalized in the Chennai air show is not a tragedy, it is a state-sponsored murder and disaster for which the DMK government and chief minister (MK Stalin) is directly responsible as his and the government's priority is the elevation of dynasty and corruption...The chief minister, health minister, DMK government is responsible for the incident...The chief minister should take a step down and take accountability for this," said BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla.
DMK leader TKS Elangovan sought to play down the tragic incident.
Also read: 4 dead as chaos erupts at IAF’s air show in Chennai
"People were gathered in large numbers at the Marina Beach...The event was conducted by the Indian Air Force...The crowd was unexpectedly huge which Marina could not hold...Such kinds of incidents have also happened in many temple festivals...Opposition leaders will always accuse us of anything. They will not manage anything. More than 100 people were taken to the hospital. The state government has made all the arrangements," he told ANI.
DMK leader Kanimozhi said unmanageable gatherings should be avoided.
"The news of the death of 5 people was very sad and painful when the public who witnessed the military flight adventure program held at the Marina beach in Chennai suffered from the crowd and the temperature was high. Unmanageable gatherings should also be avoided," she said.
Also read: Three spectators die at IAF's air show in Chennai
One person died on the beachfront and four more in the vicinity.
Thousands of people had to stand in the scorching sun for at least 2 to 3 hours to watch the event.
Scores of people were taken to hospitals. All of them reportedly suffered dehydration and heat-related issues.
Following the event, arterial roads, especially those close to the beach area, were fully choked and local trains, including the MRTS and Metro, besides buses, were jampacked.
Though a stampede-like situation emerged for a while when thousands tried to exit the venue at the same time, police said they successfully regulated the crowd and made safe passage for ambulances.
With inputs from ANI, PTI
