Kerala Students' Union President Moves High Court Seeking Judicial Probe Into Stampede Deaths At CUSAT Campus

Kerala Students' Union (KSU) President Aloshius Xavier has approached the Kerala High Court seeking judicial inquiry into the stampede deaths that occurred at the Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) campus on November 25, 2023. 

The tragic incident had claimed lives of 3 engineering students and one outsider, during a music concert that was to be conducted at the open air theatre in the campus, as part of the tech-fest. 

The petitioner avers that the preliminary investigation revealed that the stamped had occurred due to several lapses on the part of the University such as poor crowd management and having only a single exit and entry point at the amphitheater. He submits that as per the police the arrangement made by the organizers, for having the entry and exit of audience through the same gate, was what doubled the impact of the tragedy. 

The petitioner further alleges that the investigation team is not conducting a fair investigation, and that it was facing pressure from the ruling LDF government since the mishaps mainly happened with the various authorities falling under the Vice Chancellor of the University, including the Registrar and the Principal of the School of Engineering. He adds that the investigation team has not recorded statements of aforementioned authorities as well as that of the Director of the Youth Welfare Department of the University, which is crucial in the case. 

The main reason for the stampede deaths, as per the petitioner, was that the Registrar willfully neglected the Principal's request for security assistance during the programme. 

It has been asserted that from investigation carried out by himself, involving interacting with students and faculty members, the petitioner came to understand that a dedicated space in the open-air amphitheater had been allocated exclusively for engineering school students, but the same was not properly monitored by the concerned authorities. 

Additionally, the Registrar suspended the Principal of the Engineering school while the former himself was facing allegations over the incident, and the Vice Chancellor did not take any action against the Registrar until December 3, 2023. 

The petitioner claims that he had submitted a representation before the Vice Chancellor of CUSAT requesting to prepare and submit a report from his side to the government and if necessary to State Legislature for constitution of a Judicial Commission to conduct an independent and impartial inquiry into the stampede deaths that occurred at the campus, but the same did not receive any response. 

The petitioner has thus sought issuance of a direction to the Vice Chancellor of the University to consider his representation, and submit a report before the Kerala State Legislative Assembly in order to invoke the procedure under Section 3 of the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1953 for appointment of Judicial Commission for conducting an independent and impartial inquiry into the stampede deaths at CUSAT Campus. 

The plea has been moved through Advocates Rebin Vincent Gralan, Dinesh G. Warrier, and Vimal Vijay

Case Title: Aloshius Xavier v. State of Kerala & Ors. 

Case Number: W.P.(C) 40569/2023