Thousands gathered at the Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) campus on November 26 to pay their final respects to three students who tragically lost their lives in a stampede. Ministers, political leaders, teachers, and fellow students attended the gathering to pay public homage to three students, Athul Thampi, Ann Rifta and Sarah Thomas.
Ministers R Bindu and P Rajeev, Ernakulam MP Hibi Eden, Kerala Assembly Speaker A N Shameer, and CPI(M) leaders MV Govindan and MA Baby paid final respects to the students. Students and teachers were still in shock and bid adieu with tearful eyes. Students who were injured last night also came to pay their last respects to the three students.
The tragic incident occurred at the University's annual tech festival ‘Dhishna.’ Four people were killed, and over 60 others were injured. The deceased students have been identified as Athul Thampi from Koothattukulam, Ann Rifta from North Paravur and Sarah Thomas from Thamarassery. The fourth person, Albin Joseph, was a native of Palakkad who went to CUSAT to attend the tech fest.
Albin was staying in Ernakulam with his sister. He completed his diploma course and worked as an electrician in a village called Mundur. He was expecting a job abroad and completed visa procedures a few days earlier. “We heard about this incident through the media and immediately called him, but the call didn’t go through. After some time, his name appeared in the news channels with the others who were killed in this incident,” his father, Joseph George, told the media.
Sarah, a native of Thamarassery in Kozhikode, was a second-year engineering student at CUSAT. “I have known her since she was in Class 6. She was an angel who never forgot to smile,” her school principal at Alphonsa English Medium School told the media. “During the pandemic, the students had no extracurricular activities. Sarah was the one who took the initiative to conduct a dance program online. She also coordinated the online Christmas celebration,” the principal added.
One of her relatives said Sarah’s face was unrecognisable after the stampede. “We learnt about the incident around 7 pm from news channels. My son and daughter-in-law teach at CUSAT, so I called them immediately, but they did not know anything. Around 8.30 pm, I called them again, and they informed me it was our kid. My daughter-in-law was not able to identify Sarah because her face was unrecognisable. But the students confirmed it was her,” Sarah’s relative told the media.
Sarah’s funeral will be held on November 27 at the George’s Orthodox Church in Engapuzha. Her mortal remains will be shifted to Thamarassery and Alphonsa English Medium Senior Secondary School will conduct a public homage.
Athul, a native of Koothattukulam in Ernakulam, was a second-year Civil Engineering student at CUSAT. He was working earlier in a private company after completing a diploma from Polytechnic College. He quit his job and joined CUSAT after clearing the entrance two years ago. His mortal remains will be taken to his home around 2 pm and the funeral will be conducted in Vadakara St John’s church.
Ann was a second-year Civil Engineering student from North Paravur. She was an artist of a Latin Christian classical art form called Chavittu Nadakam. “Most of her characters in Chavittu Nadakam were princesses, and we called her the princess of the family,” one of her relatives said.
Ann followed in the footsteps of her father, Roy Georgekutty and began her career in Chavittu Nadakam in her childhood. According to media reports, Ann’s mother is currently in Italy, and her mortal remains will be shifted to the Paravur Taluk Hospital. The funeral will be held on November 28.
The tragedy occurred around 7 pm on November 25, just before the start of a music concert by singer Nikhita Gandhi as part of the tech fest. According to reports, students attending the music concert had been given passes. But the students without passes and others present rushed into the auditorium and turned it into a stampede.