Bengaluru stampede turns spotlight on 'accountability gaps' by event firms in Chennai

After the shocking deaths at Bengaluru's RCB victory rally, concerns are being raised over Tamil Nadu’s capacity to handle large-scale events, as witnessed in the 2024 IAF air show at Marina Beach, in which five people died and the 2023 AR Rahman's 'Marakkuma Nenjam' concert in Chennai, which descended into chaos and caused hardships to the attendees and the public at large.

Notably, in both the cases, while FIRs were filed, inquiries ordered and police officials transferred, no one has been held accountable so far.

The Marina tragedy

Take the case of the IAF air show.

The IAF air show, held on October 6, 2024, at Marina Beach was part of the 92nd anniversary celebrations of the Indian Air Force. It had attracted 15 lakh spectators, making it one of the largest public events in Chennai’s history.

However, the event turned tragic due to severe mismanagement and inadequate planning. By the end of the day, five individuals—identified as D John (55), Karthikeyan (37), Shyam (37), Venkatesh (46), and D Sudhakar (36)—lost their lives due to heatstroke and dehydration, exacerbated by the scorching heat and lack of basic amenities like water stations and medical facilities. Two others were hospitalised in critical condition.

Also Read: Marina tragedy: Govt was prepared; people died of heatstroke, says TN minister

Traffic chaos

Eyewitnesses reported chaotic scenes, with insufficient crowd control measures leading to a near-stampede-like situation as people struggled to exit the beach. Traffic on the roads leading to Marina Beach, including Kamarajar Salai, was gridlocked for hours, delaying emergency response efforts. The Tamil Nadu Health Department later confirmed that 102 people were treated for heat-related illnesses at nearby hospitals, with 93 discharged after first aid.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) took suo motu cognizance of the incident, directing Tamil Nadu’s DGP to investigate. Five FIRs were registered at the Marina police station, including charges under IPC Section 304A for "causing death by negligence," often referred to as "unsuspected murder" in legal parlance.

Also Read: Chennai airshow tragedy | Didn’t expect crowd of 15L: Stalin govt

Allegation of govt inaction

Advocate SK Samy, who has been pursuing justice for the victims, criticised the lack of progress in the case, stating, "Initially, the government said an enquiry commission headed by a retired Madras High Court judge would be constituted for the Marina tragedy, but nothing has been done so far. “

“The NHRC asked the DGP to investigate and file a report, but nothing has moved on that front either. The department seems to be unconcerned about this,” added Samy.

The NHRC also demanded a report on an alleged attack on Samy, citing "serious allegations of human rights violations," and sought a response within two weeks, alongside action on a related complaint of Rs 15,000 against the state for alleged inaction.

Arappor Jayaraman, convener of the NGO Arappor Iyakkam, working for combating corruption and promoting accountability in governance, pointed to systemic failures.

He said, "In the incident of five deaths at the Chennai air show, no one has been held accountable—accountability is completely missing. There’s no investigation, no action against the erred officials. Politicians maintain close relationships with event companies; they file a case under some section if an accident occurs, but leave these cases without action, favouring the companies. In Tamil Nadu, there is no proper investigation in such incidents and they’re handled like routine cases."

Also Read: Chennai’s IAF airshow draws record crowd; 5 visitors die of extreme exhaustion

Marakkuma Nenjam concert

The Marakkuma Nenjam concert on September 10, 2023, at Adityaram Palace City on the East Coast Road (ECR) further underscores these systemic issues. Organised by ACTC Events to celebrate 30 years of AR Rahman’s musical legacy, the event drew 40,000 to 50,000 attendees - far exceeding the venue’s capacity of 25,000 due to overselling of tickets.

This led to overcrowding, long queues, and a stampede-like situation, with reports of women facing harassment and children being separated from families. Many fans with valid tickets were denied entry.

Watch: Chennai airshow: All you need to know about Rafale, Tejas, other aircraft

CM stuck in traffic

The ECR was blocked, delaying even Chief Minister MK Stalin’s convoy for 15 minutes as he returned from a wedding in Mamallapuram, forcing his vehicle to take an alternate route.

Tamil Nadu DGP Shankar Jiwal ordered an inquiry into the traffic chaos, and a case was filed against ACTC Events under IPC Sections 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 188 (disobedience to public orders). Deepa Sathyan, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order), Pallikaranai, was transferred for the lapse.

A chargesheet has been filed, but the case awaits a court hearing, said a senior officer from the Tambaram Police Commissionerate.

Event managers

The event management industry, however, complain of lack of support from police and politicians.

Dr Meenakshi Anantram of RAZZMATAZZ noted that cities like Mumbai and Delhi are more event-friendly due to corporate and political support, while Ahmedabad is emerging as a hub.

In Tamil Nadu, Sakthivel of Torque Entertainment pointed out that police support over the last decade for events like Happy Street has improved but challenges remain. He said that Chennai has limited venues, primarily, it is just Island Grounds and the Nehru Indoor Stadium, which is available for mega events.

The city also suffers from traffic issues on highways like ECR and OMR, he added.