Two days after chaotic scenes performed out at AR Rahman’s Marakkuma Nenjam live performance in Chennai, the police have began the investigation on reviews of overcrowding, mismanagement and chaotic site visitors congestion on the ECR highway, the place the occasion occurred. Chief Minister MK Stalin’s convoy was caught within the site visitors, resulting in the switch of two girl IPS officers.
The AR Rahman live performance which was scheduled to occur in August was postponed to September 10, as a result of heavy rains. ARR followers then took to social media and stated that they have been ready for the day to come back. On September 10, the Adityaram Palace venue on the East Coast Street (ECR), south of Chennai was jam-packed with followers and well-wishers of Rahman. However shortly, the venue become a chaotic place as a result of overcrowding and full mismanagement. Youngsters have been displaced and ladies have been harassed within the crowd.
Disenchanted and indignant ARR followers took to social media to precise the ordeal confronted tey confronted through the live performance on the venue. Girls have been molested and plenty of kids bought displaced. Chatting with THE WEEK, Fahad Yunus, Photographer and assistant director, stated how he and his pals needed to defend his companion from being molested. “If issues had gone unsuitable for only a minute there would have been a stampede,” says Fahad. A staunch fan of ARR, Fahad determined to succeed in the venue at Adityaram Palace on East Coast Street on time. Fahad, three of his pals and his companion left the town at round 5 p.m. to succeed in the venue at 7 p.m. However his automobile was stopped three kilometres earlier than the venue as there was site visitors. He parked his automobile and determined to stroll to the venue along with his pals and companion. However they needed to stroll three kilometres — the pathway was darkish and really slender. As there have been greater than 1,000 individuals strolling, Fahad and his workforce additionally determined to go. It took virtually half-hour for them to succeed in the entry gate. As he reached the gold entry gate he noticed many individuals popping out and it was getting overcrowded. “The individuals who have been popping out have been truly contained in the gold entry and determined to go away the venue. So we additionally determined to get again. That is when issues grew to become worse. It took 20 to 25 minutes for us to come back out. These 20 to 25 minutes have been probably the most horrible time for us. Extraordinarily crowded. Youngsters crying. I used to be fearful as a result of I bought my girlfriend with me; she is from north India. My pals and I surrounded her and bought her out safely,” Fahad explains. By the way, there have been no signal boards to information the followers to the entry gates from the automobile park to the venue from the principle highway or any safety preparations by the occasion organisers.
A younger lawyer practising on the Madras Excessive Courtroom recounted how she was pushed and molested a number of instances. “It’s a nightmare that has made me sleepless for the previous two days. I’m not capable of come out of the ugly scenes which unfolded there. I attempted to cover my breasts by holding my arms near my chest. However nothing helped me,” the lawyer advised THE WEEK. The lawyer had a gold entry go. “The title of the live performance was Marakkuma Nenjam (will my coronary heart neglect?). Likewise, I’ll always remember this expertise for a lifetime,” tells the lawyer.
The Tambaram police have begun a probe into alleged mismanagement, overcrowding and in addition the site visitors chaos, after directions from Director Normal of Police Shankar Jiwal. Instantly after the probe started, the ECR jurisdictional Deputy Commissioner of Police Deepa Sathyan was shunted out and stored on a obligatory ready checklist. In line with the Tambaram police, the organisers had bought 20,000 tickets greater than the venue capability. Whereas the corridor capability was solely 20,000 the organisers are stated to have bought 35,000 to 40,000 tickets. Police are additionally wanting into the logistics mismanagement — just like the automobile parking amenities.
“Errors do occur. I perceive that he wouldn’t need his followers to undergo this. However what’s making me much more indignant is the response from AR Rahman. I noticed individuals traumatised. However nothing occurred to him. Why can’t he give an trustworthy apology?” Asks Fahad.