Nigosh Kumar, sole proprietor of Mridanga Vision, which recently organised a mega Bharatanatyam performance in Kerala to secure a Guinness World Record, surrendered before the police. The dance event, which took place on December 29, 2024, at the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium in Kochi, made headlines after Congress MLA Uma Thomas fell from the make-shift stage and sustained severe injuries, raising allegations of negligence and financial fraud by organisers.
While three individuals – MT Krishnakumar, V Benny, and Shameer – have already been arrested earlier in connection with the alleged safety lapses, Nigosh’s surrender marks a significant development in the ongoing investigation. The police are expected to probe both the safety concerns surrounding the event and the alleged financial irregularities related to the participation fees collected from dancers.
On December 31, the Kerala High Court had dismissed Nigosh’s anticipatory bail plea and ordered him to appear before the investigation officer by January 2. It is in compliance with this that he surrendered at the Palarivattom police station on Thursday, January 2. The court’s decision came after Shalu Vincent, a member of Thrikkakara MLA Uma Thomas’s staff, filed a police complaint alleging negligence and safety lapses by the event organisers including Mridanga Vision, leading to the mishap.
The event, led by actor and dancer Divya Unni, aimed to set a Guinness World Record with around 12,000 participants performing Bharatanatyam simultaneously. The performance secured the record on the same day. The accident occurred when Uma Thomas fell from a height of almost 15 feet after tripping over a barricade near the VIP pavilion. Uma Thomas was atop a makeshift stage at the VIP pavilion where she was greeting several guests including State Minister for Culture Saji Cherian when she fell off the platform. She was immediately rushed to the hospital and has since been recovering. Despite the serious nature of the incident, the event continued, raising concerns about the safety protocols.
After the mishap made headlines, many parents of the participating student dancers also alleged that they were charged Rs 6,000 each for a World Record certificate, while media reports revealed that the event had sponsors, and the organisers had unfairly collected money from them.
The FIR registered based on Shalu’s complaint says the organisers were negligent, specifically alleging that the stage did not have strong barricades or sufficient space for passage. The police have charged the organisers under multiple sections including Section 125 (acts endangering life or personal safety), Section 125(b) (negligence), and Section 118(e) of the Kerala Police Act (penalties for causing grave violations of public order or safety).
The Palarivattom police also registered an additional case for alleged financial fraud by the organisers. The FIR names four individuals including Nigosh Kumar, his wife who is the CEO of Mridanga Vision, Shameer, and Poornima, a close associate of Divya Unni and a prominent face of the event.