IAF’s Chennai Air Show turns tragic as three spectators die and over 200 hospitalized | India News

The Indian Air Force (IAF) air show, held in Chennai to mark the 92nd anniversary of the IAF, turned tragic after at least three spectators died and more than 200 others were hospitalized due to dehydration, authorities said, according to media reports.

According to a report in India Today, those who died after the incident are Srinivasan (48) from Perungalathur, Karthikeyan (34) from Thiruvottiyur and John (56) from Korukuppet.

They were admitted to hospitals due to several problems, including dehydration. However, doctors said the actual cause of death could be ascertained only after the autopsy results are available. Although the air show on the sandy Marina Beach attracted a large crowd, several thousand people who gathered on the idyllic shoreline found it extremely difficult to return home after the event.

After the tragic incident, Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief K. Annamalai expressed deep shock over the incident. “The loss of five lives cannot be dismissed as an accident,” Annamalai said. He further stated that the administration had failed to provide basic security measures and transportation arrangements. He criticized Prime Minister MK Stalin and accused him of neglecting public safety in favor of political advancement.