Puttur (Dakshina Kannada)/Bengaluru: A major crowd chaos was reported at Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s public event in Puttur, where over 11 people, including women and children, fell ill due to suffocation, dehydration, and mismanagement. The incident occurred during a charity distribution programme organised by Puttur MLA Ashok Kumar Rai’s charitable trust at the Puttur Taluk Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Eyewitnesses said that the stadium was overcrowded far beyond its capacity of around 20,000 people, with nearly one lakh people attending the event. With heat, poor ventilation, and lack of drinking water, several attendees began to collapse midway through the function.
CM Siddaramaiah, who had inaugurated the event earlier in the day, had already left the venue when the incident occurred. The programme — organised to distribute clothes, utensils, and Diwali gifts to residents of the constituency — saw a massive turnout, leading to severe congestion, oxygen shortage, and panic among attendees.
“There was no proper arrangement for drinking water or shade. Many women had brought small children, and due to overcrowding and heat, several fainted,” said a local attendee.
Officials confirmed that 11 people were immediately shifted by ambulance to the Puttur Taluk Government Hospital, where they are undergoing treatment. Doctors said most of them suffered from dehydration and mild suffocation but are now out of danger.
Sources revealed that the police had earlier warned organisers about crowd control issues. The Dakshina Kannada SP and IGP had inspected the venue, alerting organisers that the crowd could exceed manageable limits. Though police initially hesitated to permit the event, approval was granted at the last moment after assurances from organisers.
The event, titled “Ashoka Janamana”, was meant to distribute festive items to economically weaker families ahead of Diwali. However, the crowd far exceeded expectations, leading to a stampede-like situation. Light rain during the event also worsened the situation, causing further panic and chaos.
Authorities have assured an inquiry into the incident and said that future public programmes will require stricter crowd control and safety planning.
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