Chaos Erupts at Shreya Ghoshal's Bali Jatra Performance
Bollywood playback singer Shreya Ghoshal's highly anticipated concert in Cuttack, Odisha descended into chaos on Thursday when thousands of enthusiastic fans created a potentially dangerous situation during her performance. The incident occurred on the final day of the popular Bali Jatra festival, where massive crowds had gathered to witness the celebrated singer's live performance.
Stage Rush and Medical Emergency
As Shreya Ghoshal appeared on stage for her performance, a large section of the audience surged toward the stage, overwhelming security arrangements. The pushing and shoving in the crowded area resulted in at least two attendees fainting and requiring immediate medical attention. Both individuals were promptly transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Commissioner of Police S Dev Datta Singh confirmed that one person sustained minor injuries during the incident but was reported to be in stable condition. Despite the chaotic scenes, police officials maintained that the situation was brought under control effectively.
Singer's Response and Police Intervention
Witnessing the commotion from the stage, Shreya Ghoshal made the responsible decision to halt her performance midway. Expressing concern for her fans' safety, she emphasized that people's safety remained her first priority and expressed hope for normalcy to return, according to Kalinga TV reports.
Senior police officers, including Commissioner Singh who had been monitoring the event from the control room, immediately rushed to the spot to assess the situation. The police utilized public address systems to appeal to the crowd to remain calm and maintain order. Following these interventions, the program was successfully resumed after the situation was brought under control.
Massive Security Deployment
The incident occurred despite substantial security preparations for the Bali Jatra festival. Authorities had deployed 70 platoons of police personnel, equivalent to approximately 2,100 officers, specifically for law enforcement and crowd management duties during the event. This significant security presence highlights the anticipated crowd size and the importance of maintaining order at such large-scale public gatherings.
District administration officials quoted by PTI confirmed that the situation turned chaotic specifically when Ghoshal appeared for her live performance, triggering the surge toward the stage. While police acknowledged the huge crowd, they maintained that the situation was managed properly given the circumstances.
