Tragedy Strikes Chennai Air Force Show: Five Lives Lost, Over 100 Hospitalised; Sparks off Political Blame Game

A tragic incident unfolded during the spectacular Indian Air Force (IAF) show commemorating the 92nd inauguration day, held at Marina Beach on Sunday. At least five people have lost their lives and more than 100 hospitalised due to heatwaves, as confirmed by Chennai police and the state government. Thousands of people had assembled at Marina Beach to witness the splendid show intended to celebrate the valour and achievements of the IAF but it turned into a scene of chaos necessitating immediate medical attention.


The incident has sparked off a political blame game. Opposition parties, particularly the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), blamed the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government for poor planning and mismanagement. AIADMK accused the government of failing to provide adequate security and basic facilities, such as water and medical assistance, for the large crowd that had gathered. "I was shocked to hear that 5 people died due to crowding and more than 200 people were injured and admitted to the hospital for treatment during the IAF 'AIR Show' program held at Chennai Marina Beach. The only reason for this is that the DMK government has not taken care of the safety of the public without providing basic facilities and adequate transport arrangements for the public who came to witness the IAF Air Show," BJP chief Annamalai said in the post.

The DMK state government has rubbished such claims and held the heatwave responsible for the deaths. "All the measures were taken by Tamil Nadu govt. Due to some mistakes, there were 5 deaths. 15 lakh people had participated in the event. As it is hot & humid in Chennai, some people got dehydrated and fainted there. The Metro department supplied water and ambulances were provided by the state govt. Chennai Corporation made proper arrangements to put up barricades. Heat is the cause of the deaths. Nothing went wrong from the department's side or IAF, it was only the climate," said Chennai Mayor Priya Rajan.

The event was widely publicised by both the IAF and the state government, attracted more than 12 lakh spectators. Several people had gathered early on Sunday morning to secure vantage points for the 11.30 am to 1 pm air show. Under the sun in that heat wave condition, one person collapsed to heatstroke. As he fell on the ground, others panicked and lakhs of people had tried moving towards the exit without any warning, leading to a stampede-like situation, claimed police. Around 140 people have received first aid and were released from hospitals.