More than a year after the tragic stampede during the annual tech festival at the Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT), the Kalamassery police have submitted a charge sheet in the case. The incident, which occurred on November 25, 2023, claimed the lives of four students and left 65 others injured. The charge sheet was filed at the Kalamassery Magistrate Court on Saturday, January 18.
The police have named three individuals as accused: former Principal Deepak Kumar Sahu, and teachers Gireesh Kumar and N. Biju. These names were also part of the initial First Information Report (FIR) filed shortly after the incident. However, the charge sheet excluded the former registrar of the university, despite allegations that they failed to implement necessary safety measures.
The stampede took place at the university auditorium just before singer Nikhita Gandhi’s scheduled performance at ‘Dhishna,’ CUSAT’s annual tech festival. The popular event was open to the public, and students from various colleges had gathered in large numbers to attend the festival.
On the day of the incident, the university auditorium, which was designed to accommodate only 1,000 people, was reportedly overcrowded with nearly 4,000 attendees—a number far exceeding its capacity. The severe overcrowding led to chaos and eventually a stampede that resulted in the deaths of four individuals: Athul Thampi, Ann Rifta, Sarah Thomas, and Albin Joseph. Sixty-five others sustained injuries in the incident.
The stampede sparked widespread criticism and outrage over the university’s failure to implement adequate safety measures.