Former principal, two staff booked for Kochi varsity stampede

Municipal councillor Pramod said that the stampede occurred as one gate was used for both entering and exiting the university

The Kerala police have booked the former principal and two teachers of a Kochi university over a stampede that killed four people at the institute in November, police officers familiar with the matter said on Saturday.

Four people had died and 50 were injured during the stampede at Cochin University of Science and Technology on November 25 (AP File)

According to the officer, the three have been booked after a probe into the incident at the Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) during an annual tech festival revealed “grave lapses” on their part.

“The accused, including former principal Dipak Kumar Sahoo and two teachers have been booked under Section 304A (causing death by negligence) of the Indian Penal Code. The investigation has pointed to lapses on the part of the organising team of the tech fest, which includes the accused,” the police officer said on condition of anonymity. The police have submitted a detailed probe report into the incident before the Kalamassery judicial first class magistrate court.

On November 25, three students —Athul Thampi (23), Sara Thomas (19) and Ann Rifta Roy (20) — and Alwin Joseph, who was attending the festival, were killed and 50 others injured during a stampede before the performance by singer Nikhita Gandhi at the institute’s open auditorium. Sahoo was suspended from his post pending an inquiry.

Days later, the state government constituted an expert committee to look into the reasons for the stampede. State higher education minister R Bindu said the expert panel will also frame terms of reference to prevent the recurrence of such incidents in the future.

Municipal councillor Pramod said that the stampede occurred as one gate was used for both entering and exiting the university.

“Exit and entrance through the same gate led to the stampede. People who were entering through the steep steps fell down first, and the huge crowd at the gate stomped them,” he said.

The Kerala high court also took note of the matter in December, owing the stampede to “some failures” and saying that it “should have never happened”.

“The authorities of the university had specific duties and responsibilities, particularly when congregations of students were to occur within the campus. The role of the police and security personnel also will, therefore, have to be looked into, not for this case alone but as a guideline for the future, lest such accidents happen again, which is unthinkable,” the court said.

It added: “Brilliant lives, who could have been treasures to the nation, were lost...Precious lives have been lost, and the loss for the families are ever to stay. Public memory may be short, but the scar on the members of the families can never be allayed,” it observed.

The Kerala State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) also registered a case in connection with the stampede at the university and sought a report from the state government. The SHRC also issued a notice to the Aluva Rural SP and the Registrar of the University based on a complaint alleging security lapses in the event.

(with agency inputs)