Chennai Collector transferred

As MGR Nagar mourned the death of its residents in a ghastly stampede, which killed 42, in the early hours of Sunday, the first official head rolled with the Jayalalithaa Government sacking Chennai Collector S Chandramohan. The state government in a one-line statement announced that Chennai Collector Chandramohan would be replaced by N Muruganandam, Chairman of Tamil Nadu Women’s Development Corporation.

At about 4 PM on Sunday, long queues of relief-seeking residents turned suddenly chaotic resulting in the stampede. While CM J Jayalalithaa was quick to disburse the solatium and order an inquiry into the incident, there is much bitterness among the residents, who blame the government for its failure to regulate relief disbursement and allow a repeat of the November 6 stampede.

As black flags fluttered from housetops and mourners lit candles at the site, there was simmering anger against absence of enough police personnel to control the massive crowd at the site. Some even accused police of trying to sell tokens, even fake ones to make quick bucks. More than 3,000 people had gathered in front of the school after being told that Sunday was the last day for relief disbursement.

Demanding Jayalalithaa’s resignation, the DMK-led Democratic Progressive Alliance, in T N, took out silent processions across the state to mourn the deaths. Congress, CPI, CPI (M), MDMK and PMK participated in the procession, denouncing her ‘‘imperious rule”, which they alleged led to the ‘‘inefficient handling of relief”, causing the stampede.