College stampede in Kerala: Principal, two teachers booked for causing death by negligence

Kochi, January 7

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The Kerala police have arraigned the former principal and two teachers of the school of engineering at CUSAT in connection with the stampede that happened during an annual tech festival in November last year.

A senior police official told PTI that section 304 A of the Indian Penal Code (causing death by negligence) has been invoked against Deepak Kumar Sahu, the former principal of the school of engineering and two teachers of Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT).

Four people were killed and 60 were injured in the stampede that occurred before renowned singer Nikita Gandhi was to perform at a musical festival in the open-air auditorium of CUSAT.

Police said the former principal and some of the teachers were booked after a probe which revealed that there were grave lapses on their part.

Police have also submitted a detailed report in a local court mentioning the lapses.

According to officials, the event was an annual festival, and it was held from November 24 to 26. The musical event was organised in an auditorium with a capacity of 1,000 to 1,500 people.

The Kerala High Court had said that the stampede during the annual tech festival was clearly due to “some failure” and “should never have happened”.

Of the four persons who died, three — Athul Thampi (23), Sara Thomas (19) and Ann Rifta Roy (20) — were students of CUSAT and the fourth — Palakkad-based Alwin — an electrician who had ended up at the festival by chance.

Following the tragic incident, state Industries Minister P Rajeev said existing guidelines for big public events, including those in universities and colleges, would be revised and updated from time to time to prevent such accidents.