(NationRise.com) – A stampede that occurred during a concert at a university in India caused the deaths of four people and injured dozens more on November 25th.
The incident happened at the University of Science and Technology in Kerala’s Cochin. The school was hosting a concert for Nikhita Gandhi, a famous singer in India. All four victims were students at the school.
The stampede broke out after an unexpected rainstorm. Attendees rushed towards a nearby auditorium to escape the downpour. Several students were also shoved over the railing of the stairway leading up to the building. According to eyewitnesses, the fallen began piling on top of each other as more attendees rushed inside. They also said that a lack of proper exits exacerbated the tragedy.
However, school officials said that many of the attendees were not ticket holders and were there illegally. Some attendees were not students at the school despite it being a student event.
Officials have launched an investigation into the incident. Police Commissioner Akbar and ADGP MR Ajith Kumar told reporters the school did not inform authorities about the event.
The show was part of a festival that is normally held at the school every year. However, this marked the first time the festival has been held since the start of the pandemic.
Gandhi, 32, who had not arrived at the venue yet, said that she was “devastated” by the incident. Initial reports placed her at the scene, but officials later confirmed that she was not present. The remaining festival events scheduled for Sunday were canceled after the stampede.
No charges have been filed, but a government investigation remains active. They said the auditorium could safely fit up to 1500 occupants and called the rush of people to get inside a “freak accident.” They noted that it was not at capacity, and the crowd outside was relatively small. School officials are also conducting their own investigation. More than 65 people have been reported injured.
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