HYDERABAD, June 8: At least 50 persons either suffered injuries in a stampede or were hit by sunstroke as utter confusion prevailed at the sprawling Nizam College grounds here, where the famous "fish medicine" for asthma patients was administered by the Battina Goud Brothers today. The event will continue till afternoon tomorrow.Two of those who fell unconscious unable to bear the searing heat during the long wait in the serpentine queues were admitted to the Osmania General Hospital. Their condition was stated to be critical. The venue has been shifted from the residence of Battina brothers in Doodbowli in view of the curfew imposed in the Old City following communal violence. Thousands of patients, along with their attendants, thronged the new venue since Sunday night though administering of the medicine commenced only at 1 p.m. today after the onset of Mrigasirakarte.It was a virtual free-for-all as proper barricading was not done to ensure orderly flow. Women members of the Rapid Action Force andthe civil police were mute spectators as patients jumped the barricades in the rush for the medicine.In the ensuing melee, many persons suffered minor injuries though none of them was hospitalised. Patients were seen running from one point to the other as the medicine was administered at eight different counters.With the ground choked to its capacity, police closed all the exit points for several hours to prevent further trouble. Adding to the confusion, the VIP entrance was thrown open for the general public. The VIP pass counters were unmanned and enquiries revealed that the passes were already exhausted.As the crowds suddenly surged forwards towards the counters, the Battina brothers could not protect the medicine. In the melee, some persons collected the medicine from the bowls kept at the counters and later sold it to patients for Rs 20 to Rs 50.Fish merchants too had a field day. Each singling was sold at rates ranging from Rs 30 to Rs 50. Many people who bought the fish had to purchaseanother as the singlings, kept in small polythene bags, died unable to withstand the heat. The dead fish littered the ground at several places.An announcement over the public address system that patients should not drink water two hours before and after consuming the medicine, made matters worse as several of them became unconscious due to exhaustion.The only consolation was that some voluntary organisations like Vasavi Club and Haryana Nagrik Sangh provided shelter to the patients by putting up shamianas and supplied biscuits, breakfast and water for patients and their attendants.Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Home Minister A Madhava Reddy and Revenue Minister T Devender Goud visited the venue and inspected the arrangements while the medicine was being administered to patients. Naidu himself took the fish medicine treatment.
