Though the air show by the Indian Air Force (IAF) on the sandy Marina Beach was a big draw, several thousand of people who converged on the idyllic shore on Sunday found it extremely arduous to return home after the event. Two persons took ill and died, police said.
The Lighthouse metro station nearby and the Chennai MRTS railway station at Velachery, which serves as the closest junction connecting Chintadripet near the Marina, were swarmed by several hundreds of people and many found it difficult to even get a foothold to stand on the platform. Despite this, many risked journeying while others had to miss the train.
The bus stop at Anna Square, in close proximity to the aerial display venue, overflowed with people.
"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 senior police official said.
