A tragic spectacle

The Marina Beach fiasco cannot be passed off as an accidental tragedy. It has left, like in several other cases in the past, many unanswered questions on accountability. What was supposed to be a magnificent display of national pride and military prowess turned into a tragic day for many in Chennai.

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On October 6, more than 12 lakh people—including children and elderly, men and women-gathered at Marina Beach to celebrate the grand air show. The joyous euphoria turned into a grim manifestation by the end of the day as five people lost their lives, and many more were left reeling from exhaustion, dehydration, and heatstroke.

The lapses on the part of the management couldn't be more glaring. While the event was widely publicised, and lived up to the promise of magnificence in many ways, the scant regard for the safety of the gathered masses revealed that the priorities were not set in the right manner. The event was not hidden from anyone's eyes. In fact, on account of the record-breaking turnout, the event saw its name registered in Limca Book of Records.

The overwhelming crowd was completely anticipated.

Thus, the only things that explain the event are ignorance of the administration and unruly crowd behaviour.