'Unmanageable...': What DMK's Kanimozhi said on Chennai air show deaths
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) Member of Parliament Kanimozhi Karunanidhi has expressed sorrow over the deaths of five people at an Air Force air show in Chennai. The victims reportedly died due to dehydration caused by extreme heat and overcrowding. "The news of the deaths...is very sad and painful when the public...suffered due to overcrowding and high temperatures," she tweeted, adding unmanageable gatherings should be avoided.
Health Minister confirms dehydration as cause of deaths
Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian confirmed that the five deaths at the Chennai air show were due to dehydration from extreme heat. The air show, which sought to set a record by drawing around 16 lakh people, began at 11:00am and went on till 1:00pm. However, thousands had already assembled as early as 8:00am to grab a good spot under the scorching sun.
Opposition parties criticize government's event management
The Bharatiya Janata Party and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam have condemned the deaths, blaming the DMK government for not making proper arrangements for such a huge event. Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai blamed the DMK government saying it didn't plan for thousands of people who attended the event. He said this tragedy cannot be passed off as an "accident" and shows a "complete failure of Chief Minister MK Stalin's administration."
Health Minister defends government's event preparations
Responding to the allegations, Subramanian said the government gave facilities more than what was asked by IAF and urged the opposition not to politicize the incident. He said paramedical teams and drinking water were arranged at Marina Beach. "This was a good opportunity that Chennai got to showcase the strength of IAF. We provided all facilities," he said, adding some people who never even came are now leveling untrue allegations about lack of arrangements.
Attendees express frustration over crowd and traffic management
Attendees of the air show voiced their anger over the absence of crowd control and traffic management, which led to massive congestion across the city. As people rushed to leave after the show ended, chaos broke out with hundreds stranded on roads, outside railway stations and metro stations. According to reports, amid the increased number of commuters, Chennai Metro increased train frequency only after the event started.
