Four Students Killed in Stampede at Cochin University of Science and Technology: Ann Rifta Identified as Deceased

Four students have tragically lost their lives in a stampede at the Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) during a music tech festival. The incident occurred on Saturday evening and also left over 50 people injured, some of whom are in critical condition. Following the tragedy, Kerala’s Higher Education Minister, R Bindu, has requested an inquiry report from the Principal Secretary of Higher Education and the varsity Vice Chancellor.

Bindu has stated that proper guidelines will be issued to prevent such incidents in the future, as this is the first time a tragic incident has occurred during a university event. The Principal Secretary of Higher Education and the University Vice Chancellor have been ordered to submit their reports, after which further details will be provided.

Kerala’s Law Minister, P Rajeev, expressed shock over the incident and emphasized the government’s efforts to provide the best treatment to the injured individuals. He confirmed that two students are in the ICU of another hospital, while two patients are in the ICU of the Kinder Hospital. The government, along with the police and health minister, is coordinating all treatment facilities in both medical colleges and private hospitals.

Rajeev announced that a comprehensive inquiry will be conducted to determine the cause of the stampede. The university has already conducted a preliminary inquiry, and the syndicate subcommittee and the Chief Minister will conduct further investigations.

One of the deceased students has been identified as Ann Rifta, whose mother is currently in Italy to meet her daughter’s education expenses. 16 people have been discharged from the hospital, while the postmortem of the four deceased individuals will be conducted today.

The Additional Director General of Police, M R Ajith Kumar, referred to the incident as a “freak accident” caused by sudden rainfall, which led to a large crowd of students seeking shelter. An eyewitness confirmed that the incident occurred due to the rush of students during the drizzle.

The tragic stampede at CUSAT has shocked the community, prompting immediate action from the government and university authorities to ensure the safety and well-being of students during future events.