42 killed in Chennai rush for flood relief

A stampede over flood relief in rain-hit Chennai has killed at least 42 people, 23 of them women, and left another 37 injured. The incident ...

A stampede over flood relief in rain-hit Chennai has killed at least 42 people, 23 of them women, and left another 37 injured. The incident occurred early today outside the Arignar Anna Model Higher Secondary School in Central Chennai’s K K Nagar where some 3,000 people had queued up for flood relief distribution.

According to one version, word spread that there was not enough relief material and the queue broke down, resulting in the stampede. But others said a sudden downpour at 5 am sent people scurrying for cover. The crowd broke the police cordon and rushed into the building, crushing many in the way.

Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa visited the injured in the government general hospital and announced a compensation of Rs 1 lakh to the kin of the deceased and Rs 15,000 to those injured. The state government announced an inquiry, to be conduced by a retired High Court judge, the second incident of its kind in the city in less than two months. Six people were killed and 20 injured in a stampede near a relief camp in North Chennai on November 6.

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Residents of the area said people began flocking to the relief camp since 3 am following announcements through the public address system that coupons for relief material would be distributed from 9 am. The coupons were scheduled to be distributed through ration shops but the programme was changed as these were located in narrow lanes.

Jayalalithaa too said ‘‘some mischief mongers with an intention to tarnish the image of the state government’’ had spread word that only 1,000 families would be provided coupons today. This led to people assembling in a large number outside the school.

Eyewitnesses like 21-year-old R Ganesh recalled: ‘‘The queue outside the school was quite orderly. There were three queues, one for each ration shop. Suddenly, someone opened the gates. People standing behind thought everyone was being allowed in and rushed in. We were pushed by people behind us. Inside the school grounds, some policemen and security personnel were pushing us back. We were sandwiched and as we fell, people started trampling over us.’’

Meanwhile, the DMK-led Democratic Progressive Alliance has demanded Jayalalithaa’s resignation, saying she must take responsibility for the deaths. The DPA alleged that she had ignored the Opposition suggestion for an all-party committee to monitor relief disbursement. ‘‘In the name of relief measures, she was trying to reap political gains,’’ a DPA resolution stated.