IAF Chennai air show: Huge crowd leads to chaos after event, ambulances get stuck in jam, two left dead

Chennai: A huge crowd gathered in Chennai's Marina beach on the occasion of the Indian Air Force (IAF) air show, making the event a grand success. After the show got over, however, there erupted huge chaos and traffic snarls, eventually leading to the loss of two lives and hospitalisation for many others.

Two persons who took ill died, various reports said.

Many faced challenges getting home after the show. The deaths and hospital admissions were due to the crowded conditions, police said.


The nearby Lighthouse metro station and Velachery MRTS railway station were crowded, making it hard for people to board trains. Some could not even get onto the platforms.

The bus stop at Anna Square was also heavily crowded. "Nearly a dozen people swooned on the Marina due to a near stampede-like situation and also because of the hot weather, and they were treated at a government facility," a senior police official stated.

Traffic had to be cleared by police for ambulances to pass. Two people fell ill on their way home; one died at the hospital, and another passed away near Anna Salai. About 35 people were hospitalized with dehydration symptoms, according to the police.

The main roads connecting Marina Beach to other parts of Chennai also experienced heavy traffic, with vehicles stuck for several minutes.

K Sridhar from Velachery mentioned, "I found it extremely difficult to take the MRTS train to Chintadripet as Velachery station was fully packed with people eager to see the air display." Despite the challenges, he managed to take his family to the show and back home.

Normal traffic near Marina Beach was restored three hours after the air show concluded at 1 PM, police reported.