The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : `Big' offer triggers trouble

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jan 27, 2006

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

`Big' offer triggers trouble

Staff Reporter

Mad rush to avail of discount sale at the Big Bazaar shopping mall forces the management to seek police help as crowds turn uncontrollable. Police cordon off the complex not allowing customers inside.

CHAOTIC: Police and security personnel trying to control the crowds at the Big Bazaar in Hyderabad on Thursday. - PHOTO: K. RAMESH BABU

HYDERABAD : Unable to attend to the huge crowd, the management of Big Bazaar shopping mall abruptly ended their mega discount sale announced on the Republic Day at Abids on Thursday.

Hundreds of disappointed shoppers picked argument with the mall staff even as the latter expressed their helplessness to continue the sale.

As the crowd swelled and became unmanageable, the mall management called in Abids police for assistance.

As per the announcement, the discount sale was supposed to begin at 9 a.m. and continue till midnight. With some offers like `buy one sari, get two free' and `buy three trousers for Rs. 999' attracting a large number of people, mad rush was witnessed at the complex.

Short-lived joy

Though the complex owners were apparently pleased at the overwhelming response initially, their joy did not last long as crowds became uncontrollable. At one stage, they formed blockades at the entrance and the security guards cordoned off the complex not allowing customers inside.

"I went there with two of my friends. But the security guards did not allow me to go even up to the main gate of the mall," Narender of Kandikalgate told reporters. Abids Inspector A. Srinivas Reddy said the police had to intervene since the situation seemed to be going out of control.

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