Behind Chennai air show deaths, cocktail of social media buzz and poor crowd control

On Monday, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin promised better arrangements for future large-scale events. While top authorities said it was effective planning that prevented a potential stampede, the lack of an exit strategy and the hurried rush of people to leave the venue led to chaos, officials said.

In his statement on Monday, Stalin accepted that while “stampedes were prevented, people faced hardships in reaching their vehicles and getting public transport”.

Families, children, and the elderly arrived by trains, metros, buses, and private vehicles – thousands of four-wheelers and two-wheelers – eager to witness the show, which had even earned a spot in the Limca Book of Records for its unprecedented attendance. (PTI)

“Additional attention will be accorded to these issues when such events are organised next time,” the CM said. He also announced Rs 5 lakh compensation for families of the deceased.

Stalin’s statement said the government had made arrangements beyond the necessary administrative cooperation and that police, fire and rescue services, the Greater Chennai Corporation, and the Health Department had all coordinated to make the crowd management effective.

What went wrong?

Organisers and local authorities cite two reasons for the tragedy – massive excitement on social media that brought in massive numbers, and poor planning regarding the dispersal of the crowd.

The air show was the first of its kind in Chennai in over two decades, and while officials had initially anticipated about 11 lakh attendees, the event far exceeded expectations, with around 12-13 lakh people arriving by train, metro, buses, and private vehicles. The show, held between 11.30 am and 1 pm, became a logistical nightmare when the entire crowd tried to leave the venue at once.

Officials from the IAF and state government told The Indian Express that while crowd control measures had been in place, no one anticipated the massive turnout.

A senior police officer said that over 40 ambulances, multiple medical teams, doctors, and traffic diversions were in place for the event. “There was appropriate communication between all agencies and authorities, but we failed to have a perfect plan for dispersal of the crowd,” the officer said.

According to a senior officer in the IAF, barricades and other crowd management initiatives as well as traffic diversions prevented a stampede, but the rush of people leaving simultaneously exposed flaws in planning.

“Everyone, including us and the authorities, failed when it came to the exit plan. There should have been a priority path for children, women, and the elderly. The lack of such planning, combined with the public’s hurried behaviour to leave the venue soon after the show, created the trouble,” the IAF officer said.

The city’s Mass Rapid Transport System (MRTS), the urban rail services within the city, did not increase the number of services despite the huge gathering. Videos of thousands of people waiting at the Velachery MRTS station have gone viral on social media.

The consequences of the collective failures were devastating. Five people – all men – died while trying to return home from the beach. More than 100 people were hospitalised due to heat exhaustion, dehydration, and medical issues exacerbated by the congestion.

Ambulances got stuck in the gridlock, and many attendees reported being stranded in the intense heat for over an hour.

However, Greater Chennai City Corporation Mayor R Priya defended the arrangements they made, and attributed the deaths to extreme weather conditions. “The deaths were due to heat and dehydration. We had made arrangements for water, ambulances, and barricades,” she said.

Political fallout

The political backlash on the DMK government was swift.

AIADMK chief and the state Opposition leader Edappadi K Palaniswami took aim at the Stalin administration, holding the government responsible for the tragedy. He said in Salem, “Lakhs of people gathered at the Marina (beach) to witness the air show on Stalin’s invitation. However, basic amenities were not provided, and due to the heavy rush, five people died. This shows the poor administration of the government.”

Palaniswami criticised the lack of foresight in crowd management, noting that other states have successfully conducted air shows without incident.

Actor-turned-politician Vijay expressed his condolences on social media and also called for improved safety measures at future events.

“The incident in which five people lost their lives during the air show is painful. My deepest condolences to their families. I request the Tamil Nadu government to focus on effective implementation of basic and essential needs in places where large crowds gather,” he posted on X.

சென்னையில் இந்திய விமானப் படை சார்பில், மெரினா கடற்கரையில் நடைபெற்ற சாகச நிகழ்ச்சியின் போது 5 பேர் உயிரிழந்த நிகழ்வு, வேதனையளிக்கிறது. அவர்களது குடும்பத்தினருக்கு என்னுடைய ஆழ்ந்த அனுதாபங்களைத் தெரிவித்துக் கொள்கிறேன்.

இந்நிகழ்ச்சியின் போது, அடிப்படை வசதிகள், போக்குவரத்து வசதிகள்…

— TVK Vijay (@tvkvijayhq) October 7, 2024

A senior police officer, who was on duty at Marina beach on Sunday, pointed out that it typically takes an hour to clear Chepauk Stadium, near Marina beach, which holds 40,000 people, after a high profile cricket match.

“We had over 13 lakh people at the Marina on Sunday. The planning and barricades prevented a stampede, but the lack of an exit strategy was our downfall,” the officer said.

State Health Minister Ma Subramanian confirmed that all five deaths were heat-related and assured that measures would be taken to prevent such incidents in the future. “Five people died from heat exhaustion, and 102 others were affected by the soaring temperatures,” he said.