(MENAFN- Live Mint) Four spectators at the Indian Air Force (IAF) airshow have reportedly died, and 96 are hospitalised due to heatstroke, according to media reports. The IAF airshow was conducted at Chennai's Marina Beach on Sunday.
The 92nd IAF Day celebration was held on the Marina beach between the Lighthouse and Chennai Port. The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, MK Stalin , was the Chief Guest of the event.
Many dignitaries attended the event, including Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, Deputy CM of Tamil Nadu Udhayanidhi Stalin, state ministers, and Chennai Mayor R Priya. According to a release by the Defence Ministry, over 15 lakh people attended the event.
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The show displayed 72 aircraft, including Rafale, SU-30, MIGs, Jaguars, and Tejas and will enter the Limca Book of World Records.
The theme for the 92nd IAF Day celebration was 'Sashakt, Saksham, Atmanirbhar' (Potent, Powerful, Self-reliant), which displayed the strength and skill of the Indian Air Force .
The IAF airshow was held outside the national capital for the third time this year. The previous airshow was held in the Sangam area in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, in October, 2023. The 2022 airshow was conducted in Chandigarh.
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Ahead of the IAF airshow in Chennai , the traffic police issued an advisory to avoid disruptions. The traffic police asked travellers to use Chennai Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) services for smoother travel. However, due to the immense crowd for the airshow, commuters found it difficult to travel.
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"Nearly a dozen people swooned on the Marina due to a near stampede-like situation and also because of the hot weather, and they were treated at a government facility," a PTI report said, quoting a senior police official.
Several ambulances were stuck in traffic and people faced difficulty returning from the event.
The police had to clear the traffic for three ambulances to reach the hospital, the PTI report added.
(With inputs from agencies)
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