Unprecedented crowds, severe congestion and alleged security lapses marked the swearing-in ceremony of the new UDF government led by Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan at the Central Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday, with nearly 30 people requiring emergency medical assistance amid the chaos.
According to reports, around 30 people were shifted to hospitals in ambulances after experiencing breathing difficulties, exhaustion and other health complications caused by overcrowding, pushing in the crowd and dehydration in the intense heat.
Emergency medical teams were deployed at multiple points around the venue as several attendees reportedly fainted due to the crush of people and lack of adequate ventilation and movement space.
The huge gathering also triggered criticism over inadequate arrangements for drinking water despite prior warnings about the expected turnout and soaring daytime temperatures.
Many attendees complained that proper facilities had not been arranged to provide sufficient drinking water for the massive crowd that assembled at the venue and surrounding areas.
Though no major untoward incident was reported, the situation at several points was described by witnesses as “almost like a stampede,” especially near entry gates and barricaded zones where thousands attempted to enter simultaneously after the venue had already reached capacity.
The swearing-in ceremony, held at 10 am at the Central Stadium, marked the return of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) to power in Kerala after a decade. Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar administered the oath of office and secrecy to V.D. Satheesan and his 20-member cabinet in the presence of senior Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.
Chief Ministers Siddaramaiah, A. Revanth Reddy and Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, along with Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and several other national leaders, also attended the high-profile ceremony.
Authorities had anticipated an extraordinary turnout, with intelligence agencies reportedly estimating that more than one lakh people would arrive in the state capital for the historic event. While initial arrangements were made for around 12,000 people inside the stadium, the capacity was later expanded to nearly 15,000. A massive German-hangar style pillarless pavilion with seating for around 20,000 people was erected at the venue, divided into six zones for crowd management.
Reports indicating that more than 60,000 people entered the venue and surrounding areas to witness the ceremony, leading to chaotic scenes and overcrowding. Thousands of party workers and supporters without passes also reached the city from across Kerala, resulting in massive overcrowding both inside and outside the stadium premises.
Long queues formed at all four entry gates from the early morning hours as supporters from Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram thronged the capital. Even after authorities closed entry points once the venue became overcrowded, many people reportedly attempted to force their way through barricades and restricted zones.
Despite elaborate security arrangements and the deployment of nearly 4,500 police personnel, crowd-control measures reportedly failed at several points. Visuals from the venue showed people climbing barricades, pushing through tightly packed queues and crowding roads surrounding the stadium.
Police had imposed extensive traffic restrictions across Thiruvananthapuram from 7 a.m. onwards, with several major roads near the Secretariat, Central Stadium and Statue Junction closed or heavily regulated. However, the overwhelming influx of supporters led to severe traffic congestion across large parts of the city for several hours.
Authorities had announced that public entry would be allowed only till 8 am, while roads adjoining the stadium were to be closed by 9 am. VIP vehicles alone were permitted through designated routes after restrictions came into force.
To accommodate people unable to enter the venue, giant LED screens and video walls were installed at six different locations across the city for the live telecast of the ceremony. Nevertheless, thousands continued attempting to reach the stadium directly, adding further pressure on already stretched security and crowd-management arrangements.
The chaotic scenes at one of the largest political gatherings witnessed in recent Kerala history later triggered criticism over inadequate planning, insufficient crowd-control measures and lapses in implementing security protocols despite advance intelligence inputs warning of a massive turnout.