RECEIVING TREATMENT: Patients injured in the stampede at Vysarpadi in Chennai on Sunday, at Stanley Hospital.

CHENNAI: Six women died and several others were injured in a stampede at Dr. Ambedkar Arts College at Vyasarpadi, north Chennai, on Sunday when flood-affected residents made a dash to a relief distribution centre there.

The early morning tragedy (at 4-30 a.m.) happened in a week that witnessed rain, flooding and fear of epidemics. North Chennai was the worst-hit.

Hundreds of residents who were waiting with relief tokens collected from ration shops tried to rush into the premises to receive the relief package announced by the government. The distribution was to start at 9 a.m.

While the injured admitted to Stanley Hospital say that it was the police who opened the gate, the police said that the crowds forced open the gate. By 8 a.m., it was locked and an alternative centre opened in a nearby Chennai Corporation building.

The police identified the deceased as Kuchammal (58) of Shastri Nagar of Vyasarpadi, Chitthammal (70), Suppammal (54), Rangammal (29) all three of B.V. Colony, Jayalani (22) of MKB Nagar, and Kasturi (60), Murthingar Street of, Vyasarpadi.

Mad rush

M. Saroja (44) of B.V.Colony, Vyasarpadi, whose right leg was fractured in the stampede, said when the gate opened, the residents made a mad rush to reach the counters.

"I fell and several persons ran over me. I kept crying for help," she said.

Valarmathi, Ranganayaki and Lakshmi were the others injured and admitted to Government Stanley hospital.

Jayaraj Mary of Shastri Nagar, Vyasarpadi, who escaped unhurt, said she was standing in the queue with the token.

"We heard the voice of women underneath crying for help. But in a few minutes the voices died down... the six women died in front of our eyes. No one was there to help."

CM announces relief

Expressing grief at the tragedy, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa announced an immediate ex gratia payment of Rs.1 lakh to each of the next of kin of those killed and Rs.15,000 to the injured. The hospital administration was ordered to provide the best treatment, she said.

She attributed the rush to "rumours spread by mischief-makers who had stated that relief was being distributed at 4-30 a.m and that people should rush to get them... ."

Ms. Jayalalithaa urged people not to heed to such rumours.

"Adequate publicity given"

State Ministers C.Ponnaiyan, D.Jayakumar and R.K.Nagar MLA P.K.Sekar Babu, visited the injured at Stanley Medical College in the morning.

Mr.Ponnaiyan said: "Adequate publicity has been made to inform the public that the relief packages would be distributed from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. at all distribution centres. We have also categorically said that distribution of relief would continue till all affected families are reached. So why did the residents start gathering from midnight?"

Gheraoed

Chennai Collector S.Chandramohan was gheraoed by residents when he reached Dr.Ambedkar College after the stampede.

Even while the news of the stampede spread, residents thronged relief distribution centres despite heavy rain.

Several women stood in knee-deep water in the interior lanes of Vyasarpadi hoping to collect tokens.

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