Dash for fish prasadam leaves 1 dead, 30 hurt

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One person died and 30 others were injured in the stampede at the Kattedan sports stadium where the fish prasadam was being distributed, organised by the state government.

The fish prasadam is administered by the Bathini Goud family every year on the occasion of Mrigasira Karti.

The arrangements for the hugely popular event and the security is provided by the state.

The fish concoction is supposed to cure asthma and is a secret formula of the Goud family. As soon as the gates were opened at 8.30 am on Friday, hundreds of asthma patients surged forward to enter, resulting in a stampede.

The deceased was identified as Gorakh Patil, 70, from Maharashtra. This is the first time the fish prasadam distribution has been held at Kattedan, and it was a last minute decision. Consequently, there was no proper planning and organising by the government.

Police canes patients, prasadam till 4 pm today

There were no barricades and only five distribution counters at Kattedan sports stadium where the fish prasadam was being distributed, compared to 40 counters at the Exhibition Grounds at Nampally, Hyderabad, last year. There were no VIP queues or exclusive queues for women and children. Also, there were no boards or guides to direct the people to relevant counters.

There seems to have been unprecedented confusion about where to hold the event. On June 5 the Bathini family was told that the event could not be held at the sports stadium for security reasons, and that it must be held at the Exhibition Grounds at Nampally. On June 6, the Bathinis were told to go back to Kattedan stadium.

On June 7, the Ranga Reddy collector convened a co-ordination meeting. Such short-term, haphazard planning has resulted in the needless death of one man, injuries to several others, and inconvenience to thousands.

Sources said the stand-off between the administration of Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy added to the confusion over the venue. “Each of them tried to get rid of the responsibility of conducting the mass event,” a senior official pointed out.

Ironically, none of the elected representatives, including home minister P. Sabita Indra Reddy, who belongs to Ranga Reddy, held a review meet. The Cyberabad police top brass too left it to lower rung officials to take crucial decisions.

“It is heinous on the part of the state to resume five acres from a family doing selfless service while giving away thousands of acres on a platter to industrialists,” said K.T. Rama Rao, a TRS legislator.
Meanwhile, the injured blamed the police for the stampede.

Said Kailash, who had come from Maharashtra: “Every year the patients are allowed to go inside the Exhibition Grounds at Nampally at night. But here, the gate to the sports stadium was not opened until the Bathini Goud family arrived. Since early morning, people were gathering in front of this gate and every one of us tried to enter the venue at the same time.”

Ranga Reddy collector V. Seshadri claims that Gorakh Patil died of cardiac arrest and not due to the stampede. But eyewitnesses said Patil was among those injured in the stampede. “He was pushed. He fell down and was injured,” said K. Milind, also from Maharashtra.

Everyone testifies to the chaos, and there were complaints that the police were caning the crowds.
Jaslok Kaur from Punjab said: “My 10-year-old son could not stand in the queue as everyone was pushing. Men were leaning on me but I managed to take my son and get prasadam administered.”

In the afternoon, the RR collector visited the venue. After speaking to the Bathinis, he said the fish prasadam distribution will be continued till 4 pm on Saturday and not close at 8 am as announced earlier. “There is no hurry. People can take fish prasadam up to 4 pm,” he said.