Overcrowding, no water: What went wrong at Marina Beach during airshow

Beneath the spectacular display of soaring aircraft against the blue sky, tragedy struck at Chennai’s Marina Beach on Sunday. What was meant to be a grand celebration for the Indian Air Force’s 92nd anniversary turned into a nightmare, leading to the deaths of five spectators and over 200 hospitalisations. Eyewitnesses reported extreme overcrowding, lack of basic amenities, and inadequate crowd management, raising serious questions about the planning and execution of the event.While similar large gatherings have occurred in the past — such as the massive pro-Jallikattu protests in 2017, which saw thousands of volunteers successfully manage crowd control — the lack of preparation this time was starkly evident. Despite the deployment of 7,500 police personnel, the crowd control measures were insufficient. Why? What went wrong this time? Let’s have a closer look. OvercrowdingOne of the biggest issues that plagued the event was the severe overcrowding, which appeared to take…