Viktorivmw at 05:44, 2 December 2025

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{{Short description|Human stampede in Tamil Nadu, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2018}}
{{Infobox news event
| title = 2005 December Chennai stampede
| image =
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| date = {{Start date|2005|12|18|df=y}}
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| place = MGR Nagar [[Chennai]]
| coordinates = {{coord|13|2|4|N|80|11|49|E|type:event_region:IN-04|display=inline,title}}
| also known as =
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| reported injuries = 37
| reported death(s) = 42
| reported missing =
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The '''2005 December Chennai stampede''' incident happened on 18 December 2005 in a school at MGR Nagar in [[Chennai]], the capital of the [[South India]]n state of [[Tamil Nadu]], where the relief supplies were distributed by the [[Government of Tamil Nadu|state government]] for the people affected by severe flooding. There were 42 deaths in the accident, which left another 37 injured. The Supreme Court observed that the Tamil Nadu government, led at the time by the [[All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam|AIADMK]] party, along with government offices, bore responsibility for administrative lapses that contributed to the stampede. Then the state government appointed a one-man commission under retired justice A. Raman to look into the enquiry. The state government also announced a compensation of {{INR}}100,000 for all the victims and {{INR}}15,000 for the injured.

During 2005, there were heavy rains in Tamil Nadu and its coastal areas were flooded. Many people were rendered homeless by flooding during November and December. Relief measures were announced by the government that necessitated collecting tokens from authorities in different centers across the city.

==Background==
During 2005, there were heavy rains in Chennai and the surrounding areas [[2005 Chennai floods|that resulted in severe flooding]]. Most coastal areas of the state were flooded.<ref name=Raman/> Many people were rendered homeless by the floods during the months of November and December. Relief measures were announced by the government that necessitated collecting tokens from authorities in different centers across the city. The government centers were distributing {{INR}} 2,000, 10 kg of rice, [[dhoti]]s and [[sari]]s to the people affected by the floods.<ref name=Anna>{{cite news|title=Compunding the Tragedy, King's Gambit, Object of Desire|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-10957727.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140611035622/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-10957727.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 June 2014|newspaper=India Today|last1=S.|first1=Senthil Kumar|last2=Shukla|first2=Saurabh|location=Chennai, India|date=2 January 2006|accessdate=30 November 2013}}</ref> The relief measures were to be originally distributed from the ration shop in the area, but the street being narrow, the venue was changed to Arignar Anna Government School. On Saturday 17 December 2005, the day before the accident, 3,452 families were issued tokens, and the authorities were planning to distribute for 4,500 families on Sunday. The announcement was made with the help of public addressing system.<ref name=Stalin/>

==The accident==
On 18 December 2005, Sunday, around 4,500 people were gathered around the Arignar Anna Government High school in MGR Nagar where the tokens to the relief measures were about to be distributed for people under the jurisdiction of three ration shops.<ref name=Hindu/> The people assembled from 3 a.m., while the relief was planned to be distributed at 9 a.m. There was a sudden downpour at 3:45 a.m., and there were rumours that the relief measures would be given only on first come first basis to 1,000 families. At around 4 a.m, people broke through the cordons set up by police to enter the building. There was a concrete slope at the entrance and people at the front end of the queue slipped and others stumbled over them. The gates were closed with difficulty, but by then the stampede caused 42 deaths and 37 injuries.<ref name=Raman/><ref name=Hindu/> Eyewitness claimed that the sudden downpour resulted in chaos in the area. The police were few in number to control the large crowd.<ref name=Anna/> They also claimed that the police controlling the crowd early during the day would have averted the situation.<ref name=Stalin/><ref name=Hindu>{{cite news|title=42 killed in Chennai stampede|url=http://www.hindu.com/2005/12/19/stories/2005121912500100.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051221050623/http://www.hindu.com/2005/12/19/stories/2005121912500100.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=21 December 2005|date=19 December 2005|accessdate=30 November 2013|work=[[The Hindu]]|location=Chennai}}</ref>

==Aftermath==
The stampede is counted among the twenty deadliest stampedes during the period of 1968–2005.<ref>[[#Coppola|Coppola 2005]], p. 105</ref> The [[President of India]], [[A. P. J. Abdul Kalam]], condoled the death of the people who lost their lives in the tragedy. On account of the poor lighting and rain, the rescue personnel found it difficult to reach the spot. The crowd did not disperse without understanding the seriousness of the situation and only left after an announcement was made that the distribution would be made at their doors. Umbrellas, footwear and ration cards were strewn all over the place.<ref name=Hindu/> Sixteen of the injured were admitted to the government hospital and eleven, including six women, were admitted to the [[Royapettah]] Government Hospital.<ref>{{cite news|title=45 killed in Chennai flood relief camp stampede|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2005-12-18/india/27861655_1_stampede-heavy-rains-flood-relief-camp|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140205023759/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2005-12-18/india/27861655_1_stampede-heavy-rains-flood-relief-camp|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 February 2014|date=18 December 2005|accessdate=30 November 2014|work=[[The Times of India]]|location=Chennai}}</ref> The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, [[J. Jayalalithaa]] visited the injured in the hospital. During her interaction with the media after her hospital visit, she said that this might have been the handiwork of some of the miscreants trying to tarnish the image of the government. She stated that "There was no need for people to come in so early during the day when it had been announced that relief distribution would begin from 9 am. We had made elaborate arrangement by restricting the number of relief-seekers to 500 at each of the nine counters and deployed heavy security. It was announced that everyone would get relief,".<ref name=Stalin/> The Tamil Nadu police said that it was raining heavily during the distribution of relief supplies. The state government also announced a compensation of {{INR}}one lakh for all the victims and {{INR}} 15,000 for the injured.<ref name=Raman>{{cite news|title=Tamil Nadu appoints Commission to look into Chennai stampede deaths|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-979471971.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140611030904/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-979471971.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 June 2014|newspaper=Hindustan Times|location=Chennai, India|date=20 December 2005|accessdate=30 November 2013}}</ref> The leader of the [[Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam]] (DMK) party [[Muthuvel Karunanidhi|M. Karunanidhi]], accused the government of buying votes by distributing freebies for the forthcoming elections. He also added that it was the poor administration of the government that resulted in the tragedy.<ref name=Anna/> His son, [[M. K. Stalin]], an MLA from the DMK party, accused the government of not setting up a committee to monitor the relief measures.<ref name=Stalin>{{cite news|title=Dash for relief kills 42 in TN|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-979473681.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140611035632/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-979473681.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 June 2014|newspaper=Hindustan Times|location=Chennai, India|date=19 December 2005|accessdate=30 November 2013}}</ref> As a mark of respect to those who died in the accident, the shops in the area closed at 2 p.m. on the day.<ref>{{cite news|title=For residents of MGR Nagar, a Black Sunday|url=http://www.hindu.com/2005/12/19/stories/2005121913050400.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080111081949/http://www.hindu.com/2005/12/19/stories/2005121913050400.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 January 2008|date=19 December 2006|accessdate=30 November 2013|last1=K.T.|first=Sangameswaran|last2=Doraisamy|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|first2=Vani}}</ref>

==Investigation==
The police arrested Dhanasekaran, the areas' councillor who belonged to the opposing DMK party, on 20 December 2005 on charges of spreading rumours.<ref>{{cite news|title=One arrested in Chennai stampede case|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/One-arrested-in-Chennai-stampede-case/articleshow/1338625.cms|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140207005137/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2005-12-20/india/27846441_1_stampede-councillor-flood-relief-centre|url-status=live|archive-date=7 February 2014|date=20 December 2005|work=[[The Times of India]]|access-date=30 November 2013}}</ref> He was charged under IPC sections 120-B for criminal conspiracy, 147 for punishment for rioting, 304 for punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, 109 for abetment, 323 for voluntarily causing hurt and 325 voluntarily causing grievous hurt.<ref>{{cite news|title=DMK Councillor held in stampede case seeks bail|url=http://news.outlookindia.com/items.aspx?artid=343601|location=Chennai|date=22 December 2005|accessdate=30 November 2013|publisher=Outlook India|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222210425/http://news.outlookindia.com/items.aspx?artid=343601|archive-date=22 February 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="hindu3">{{cite news|title=DMK councillor held in stampede case|url=http://www.hindu.com/2005/12/21/stories/2005122111630100.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051223050307/http://www.hindu.com/2005/12/21/stories/2005122111630100.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=23 December 2005|date=21 December 2005|accessdate=30 November 2013|last1=K.T.|first1=Sangameswaran|last2=P.|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|first2=Oppilli}}</ref> It was alleged that he and his supporters roamed around the previous evening announcing that Sunday would be the last day and token distribution would begin by 5 a.m.<ref name="hindu3"/> He argued in a lower court that he was politically targeted and the tragedy was because of an administrative failure. He quoted the transfer of Chennai collector and police officials involved in the case to support his argument. He was granted bail by the court on 26 December.<ref>{{cite news|title=DMK councillor granted bail in stampede case|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/DMK-councillor-granted-bail-in-stampede-case/articleshow/1346908.cms|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140207005230/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2005-12-26/india/27861852_1_dmk-councillor-stampede-case-bail-application|url-status=live|archive-date=7 February 2014|date=26 December 2005|work=[[The Times of India]]|access-date=30 November 2013}}</ref> He was charged in Goodas Act before the court could grant bail. He was granted bail by the [[Madras High Court]] on 5 January.<ref name=HC>{{cite news|title=Court slams Tamil Nadu government for stampede deaths|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-982231901.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140611030908/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-982231901.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 June 2014|newspaper=Hindustan Times|location=Chennai, India|date=27 January 2006|accessdate=30 November 2013}}</ref> The government filed a special leave petition against the order in the [[Supreme Court of India]] on 27 January 2006, but the court rejected the plea and accused the government of negligence. The court stated that "The incident occurred because of the negligence of your officers. This is not the first time that such an incident has happened in Tamil Nadu. Repeatedly, it is happening in Tamil Nadu for such petty things,". The court also noted that "The incident was because of the officers not making preparations for providing flood relief".<ref name=SC>{{cite news|title=Supreme Court pulls up Tamil Nadu Government for Chennai stampede|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-982215041.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140611030902/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-982215041.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 June 2014|newspaper=Hindustan Times|location=Chennai, India|date=27 January 2006|accessdate=30 November 2013}}</ref> M. Karunanidhi, in a statement, claimed that it was a moral victory for the party against the hate campaign run by Jayalalitha and her [[All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam]] (ADMK) government. He said "The Supreme Court, which was approached by the same government, has blamed the Jayalalithaa regime for the stampede. The Supreme Court judges after hearing the two sides has said that DMK Councillor Dhanasekharan was not the reason behind the stampede, but only the Tamil Nadu Government,".<ref>{{cite news|title=Supreme Court judgment on stampede case our first victory, says DMK Chief|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-982266091.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140611030912/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-982266091.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 June 2014|newspaper=Hindustan Times|location=Chennai, India|date=29 January 2006|accessdate=30 November 2013}}</ref> The state government appointed a one-man commission under retired justice A Raman to enquire the incident.<ref name=Raman/> The terms of the commission were notified on 20 December 2013 by the government that instructed the commission to probe the alleged rumours, circumstances leading to the stampede, find any shortcomings of issue of tokens and ways to avoid such incidents in future.<ref>{{cite news|title=Probe terms notified|url=http://www.hindu.com/2005/12/20/stories/2005122015980600.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071018092716/http://hindu.com/2005/12/20/stories/2005122015980600.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 October 2007|date=20 December 2005|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|accessdate=30 November 2013}}</ref> Dhanasekaran sought a stay on the proceedings of the commission quoting "Witnesses are being examined at an amazing speed, and about 35 witnesses were examined on a single day. The main aim for constituting the Commission is to divert attention on the inefficient handling of flood relief by the State Government, and to obtain a report that absolves the Government of all liability. The Commission is proceeding at such a speed that it would release a report before the coming Assembly polls on May 8".<ref>{{cite news|title=Stay Justice Raman panel proceedings: councillor|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/stay-justice-raman-panel-proceedings-councillor/article3145883.ece|newspaper=The Hindu|date=11 April 2006|accessdate=30 November 2013}}</ref>

== See also ==
{{Portal|India}}
* [[2005 November Chennai Stampede]]
* [[2005 Chennai floods]]

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==References==
{{refbegin|2}}
* {{cite book|title=Introduction to International Disaster Management|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=s6oxEraqWWwC&q=chennai+stampede&pg=PA105|last=Coppola|first=Damon P.|publisher=Butterworth-Heinemann|year=2006|isbn=9780080465739|ref=Coppola}}
{{refend}}

{{Human stampedes}}
{{Chennai topics}}

[[Category:2000s in Chennai]]
[[Category:Disasters in Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:2005 disasters in India]]
[[Category:Human stampedes in India]]
[[Category:Human stampedes in 2005]]
[[Category:All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam]]

2005 December Chennai stampede - Revision history

Viktorivmw at 05:44, 2 December 2025