Chennai air show tragedy: After Opposition, DMK allies slam state govt

The death of five persons at the Indian Air Force (IAF) air show at Chennai's Marina beach has now turned even alliance partners against the DMK government in Tamil Nadu.

Both the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and the CPI(M) have asked the MK Stalin-led state government to set up a high-level panel to investigate the deaths.

The state government announced a Rs 5 lakh compensation each for the kin of deceased.

The Marina tragedy

Five spectators died and 102 were hospitalised due to heatstroke and poorly managed crowd control at the Marina, reputedly the second longest urban beach in the world. The Sunday event attracted several thousands of people.

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While state Health Minister Ma Subramanian claimed the deaths were due to dehydration and not due to lack of arrangements, many attendees said the poor crowd management, lack of traffic planning and inadequate public transport contributed to the tragedy.

DMK allies VCK and CPI(M) criticised the government's failure to manage the crowds and pointed out the avoidable lapses.

Tamil Nadu Congress chief K Selvaperunthagai, also a DMK ally, said his party will provide Rs 1 lakh compensation each for the kin of deceased and offer financial assistance for the education of the children in families which lost the breadwinner.

The state government has promised that extra care would be taken and proper arrangements would be made while organising major events like the IAF show in future.

Marxists attack government

CPI(M) state secretary K Balakrishnan raised concerns over the timing of the air show and the preparations by both the IAF and the state government.

“The government claims that 4,000 beds were available at hospitals but there is no evidence that an advance alert was issued regarding the hot and humid weather or that adequate drinking water facilities were provided for the event,” he said. “These lapses warrant a high-level inquiry.”

Balakrishnan sought to know if drinking water facilities were sufficient for the large crowd.

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“It was a Sunday and a holiday season for school students. It was obvious that lakhs of people would attend the event with their families. Arrangements should have been made to accommodate the large crowd,” he added.

VCK slams poor arrangements

VCK leader Thirumavalavan pointed out that the IAF and the state government had jointly organised the air show, which drew thousands to the Marina.

“Lakhs came to Marina Beach to watch the air show. Five people died, and hundreds fainted in the heat. These deaths didn’t result from a stampede but from dehydration caused by the extreme heat. A high-level inquiry should be conducted to identify any lapses in the arrangements, and appropriate action should be taken against those responsible,” he said in a statement.

VCK deputy general secretary Aadhav Arjuna issued a separate statement, criticising the lack of first-aid arrangements at the venue.

“It’s well-known that suffocation and dehydration are common in large crowds. There were no proper arrangements for first aid. The police, health and transport departments should have coordinated to ensure necessary precautions, but it seems they failed to do so, leading to these deaths,” he said.

Arjuna, a new addition to the VCK, has been vocal in his criticism of the DMK government, previously raising concerns over power sharing between the DMK and its allies.

Govt on defensive

Reacting to the criticism from allies and opposition parties,  Subramanian appealed to political parties to avoid politicising the tragedy.

“It was the IAF that scheduled the air show, not the Tamil Nadu government. It’s unfortunate that five people died. Those trying to politicize this incident will fail miserably,” he said.

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“More than 15 lakh people gathered at the Marina to witness the air show, and the state government provided all necessary facilities. Forty ambulances were stationed near the venue. The deaths were not due to a stampede but the extreme heat. All five victims were brought dead to the hospital,” he said.

He said four major government hospitals are located near the Marina, and necessary arrangements were made to handle the situation.

Govt handled emergency with care?

“On the IAF's request, 100 beds were kept ready at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH), and another 4,000 were available at the Omandurar Government Multi-Super Speciality Hospital, Royapettah Government Hospital and Kilpauk Medical College Hospital,” he said.

Subramanian said 102 people were admitted for treatment, with five brought dead to the hospital. "Over 40 patients were discharged by Sunday night. Only two are still in ICU. We handled the emergency with care," he added.