The Kerala police have filed charges under section 304 A of the Indian Penal Code (causing death by negligence) against the former principal and two teachers of the school of engineering at Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) in connection with the stampede during an annual tech festival in November last year. Four individuals lost their lives, and 60 were injured in the stampede that occurred before a musical festival featuring singer Nikita Gandhi. The police investigation revealed serious lapses on the part of the former principal and some teachers, leading to the filing of charges.
The stampede took place during the annual tech festival from November 24 to 26, and the musical event was organized in an auditorium with a capacity of 1,000 to 1,500 people. The Kerala High Court emphasized that the stampede resulted from a “failure” and “should never have happened.” Of the four casualties, three were students of CUSAT, and the fourth was an electrician named Alwin who had accidentally ended up at the festival. The incident prompted state Industries Minister P Rajeev to highlight the need for existing guidelines for large public events, including those in universities.
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