The police registered a case against the organisers of the sevens football tournament at Poongodu, near Wandoor, during the final of which a makeshift gallery collapsed on Saturday night, causing injury to more than 100 football fans.
Most injuries were minor. Six of them had serious injuries. Several of the injured were children.
Nearly 6,000 people had turned up to witness the final match between Kozhikode Royal Travels and Nellikkuthu United FC at the People’s Football Tournament organised under the banner of the Friends Club, Poongodu.
The accident took place around 9.30 p.m., minutes before the match started. The organisers were pressured to accommodate all those who came to watch the final match even after the galleries were full.
Football lovers were allowed to sit on the ground a couple of feet beyond the touchline. The organisers said the makeshift gallery erected with bamboo and areca nut tree slats gave in under pressure as the gallery was overcrowded. The summer showers in the region had also soaked the ground.
The gallery on the eastern side of the ground collapsed into the stadium. According to the organisers, the inward collapse of the gallery reduced the gravity of the accident. However, several people who were sitting on the ground were injured as the gallery fell on them.
A big tragedy was averted when the floodlights on one of the pillars came crashing along with the gallery. None suffered any electric shock or burns as the organisers immediately disconnected the power to the floodlights.
The injured were rushed to hospitals at Wandoor, Nilambur, Kalikavu, Pandikkad and Manjeri. Three seriously injured persons were admitted to Government Medical College Hospital, Manjeri. A.P. Anil Kumar, MLA, who was to give away the prizes to the champions, also used his car to shift the injured to hospitals.
The tournament had begun a month ago and was to have concluded on Saturday night. The organisers said they allowed more number of spectators that the stadium could contain fearing the people’s anger. “If people are not allowed, they would destroy the stadium,” said one of the organisers.
