A tragic incident occurred at an air show in Chennai, where three spectators lost their lives, and over 230 others were hospitalized due to dehydration. The air show was organized to celebrate the 92nd anniversary of the Indian Air Force and aimed to showcase thrilling aerial maneuvers. However, the combination of extreme heat and overcrowding turned the event into a disaster.
The deceased were identified as Srinivasan (48) from Perungalathur, Karthikeyan (34) from Thiruvottiyur, and John (56) from Korukuppet. Lakhs of people were stranded across various parts of Chennai due to poor traffic management after the event. The massive crowd gathered at Marina Beach struggled to leave after the show.
The air show aimed to enter the Limca Book of World Records by attracting around 1.6 million people. It started at 11 am and continued until 1 pm, but thousands had gathered as early as 8 am to secure good viewing spots under the scorching sun. Several elderly attendees fainted from heat exhaustion before the show even began.
Further complicating matters, local water vendors were removed, leaving attendees without access to drinking water. As the show ended, the enormous crowd attempted to exit simultaneously onto Kamarajar Salai, causing a complete traffic standstill.
Weary from the heat and congestion, many people were forced to sit along the roadside to recover. Fortunately, nearby residents offered water to those in need. However, metro stations were overwhelmed as people sought alternative ways to get home.
Public outrage has erupted over the lack of planning and preparation. Comparisons have been drawn to the cancellation of actor Vijay’s public event due to crowd control concerns, while authorities seemingly failed to adequately prepare for the lakhs who attended the air show.
