Bollywood singer Nikhita Gandhi on Saturday said she was “heartbroken” and “devastated” by the death of four students due to a stampede at her music concert in Kerala’s Cochin University.
Apart from the two girls and two boys who died, around 60 other students were injured, out of whom two are in a critical condition.
Gandhi took to Instagram to mourn the loss of the students. “Heartbroken & devastated by what took place this evening in Kochi. Such an unfortunate incident took place before I could even leave for the venue for the performance,” she wrote.
“No words are possibly enough to express this profound grief. My prayers go out to the families of the students,” she added.
According to officials, the stampede occurred at the open-air auditorium of the Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT). Entry was restricted to people with passes only but the situation turned ugly when it started to rain. People ran to take shelter and the people standing on the steps were trampled over, a senior police official said.
The stampede was also caused because of entry and exit from the same gate at the venue, a municipal councillor said.
“It was an annual festival, and from the brochure, we understood that it was held from November 24 to November 26. The musical event was organised at an auditorium with a capacity of 1,000 to 1,500 people. It was partially filled. But when the rains lashed suddenly, the students rushed through the stairs, leading to the tragedy,” ADGP MR Ajith Kumar said.
The injured have been transferred for treatment at the Kalamassery Medical College Hospital and some other hospitals nearby, as per State Health Minister Veena George.
Nikhita Gandhi is known for songs such as "Tere Pyaar Main", "Burj Khalifa" and "Qaafirana".
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!