Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi expressed her sorrow over the deaths of five individuals at Marina Beach during an Air Show organized by the Indian Air Force on Sunday. In a post on X, she stated, “It is very painful and sorrowful to know that five have died due to soaring heat after attending the IAF Air Show at Marina Beach, Chennai. We must avoid gatherings that cannot be managed in the future.”
DMK leader TKS Elangovan commented that the beach lacked the capacity to handle such a large crowd, noting that the incident did not occur during the show itself. “It was most unexpected. Approximately 1.5 million people gathered at Marina. This event was conducted by the Air Force, and we cannot place chairs everywhere due to limited space. The show ran from 11 AM to 1 PM, and most attendees came with umbrellas. While the Air Force must have consulted with the Government of Tamil Nadu, Marina simply cannot accommodate this many people. The government cannot provide water bottles to everyone, and in such a huge crowd, there can’t be a proper queue for exiting. This situation did not arise during the show but as people were leaving,” he explained.
Elangovan criticized the opposition for its accusations, asserting that they can only blame others without effectively managing any situation. “More than 100 people were immediately taken to hospitals and treated. Those who criticize us were thrown out of power by the people,” he added.
BJP national spokesperson CR Kesavan labeled the incident as a sign of negligence and incompetence by the DMK government. “Is this the DMK government’s Dravida model of utter negligence and incompetence? The tragedy at the Chennai Air Force show clearly indicated that the state government, led by DMK, was ill-prepared for this event. It is surprising because just a month earlier, the DMK government successfully hosted F4 night racing championships in Chennai. Why wasn’t the same level of priority given to this Air Show?” Kesavan questioned. He asserted that the government’s arrangements were inadequate and that they mishandled the situation. He urged the DMK government to accept responsibility for the tragedy and loss of life.
Five individuals died from the aftereffects of excessive heat, and over 200 others were injured and admitted to hospitals during the IAF Air Show held at Chennai Marina Beach, which took place ahead of the upcoming 92nd Air Force Day on October 8.
