Chaos at Ambala: 9 Injured in Footbridge Stampede as Anil Vij Inaugurates!
AMBALA CANTT – A stampede at the inauguration of a foot overbridge equipped with an escalator in Ambala Cantt left nine people injured, including SDM Satyendra Singh and his gunman, Vijendra Kumar. Haryana Cabinet Minister Anil Vij was present at the event when the incident occurred.
The stampede happened as Minister Vij, accompanied by officials and attendees, was descending the escalator after cutting the ribbon to inaugurate the bridge. Crowds gathered at the bottom of the escalator, creating a bottleneck, which led to a sudden rush, causing several people to fall and injure themselves.
Injuries and Hospitalization
SDM Satyendra Singh sustained minor injuries, and his gunman, Vijendra Kumar, suffered fractures in his arms and legs. In addition to the two officials, seven others were injured, including Raman Aggarwal, Rakesh Ram, Sunil Aggarwal, Satprakash, Jito Devi, Mahesh Gupta, and Pankaj. All of the injured were taken to a nearby civil hospital for treatment, where they are currently recovering.
Incident During the Escalator Descent
The chaos unfolded as Anil Vij, along with other officials and party workers, began to descend the escalator of the newly inaugurated foot overbridge, located in front of Ambala Cantt Civil Hospital on the Ambala-Saha Road. A large crowd had already gathered at the base of the escalator, which led to congestion as people struggled to exit. As the escalator continued to move, people at the bottom fell, causing those behind to trip over them. The situation quickly spiraled into a stampede.
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Anil Vij’s security team swiftly moved him to safety during the commotion. SDM Satyendra Singh also fell in the melee, but his injuries were minor.
A Project to Improve Safety
The foot overbridge was constructed at a cost of ₹2 crore to address the dangers of crossing the busy Ambala-Saha Road in front of the civil hospital. Thousands of people use the road daily, leading to frequent accidents and traffic congestion. To resolve these issues, Anil Vij, in a 2023 meeting with the National Highway Authority and municipal officials, proposed the installation of an escalator-equipped foot overbridge to enhance pedestrian safety.
While the new bridge was expected to alleviate traffic problems and provide a safer way for people to cross the road, the stampede during its inauguration has raised concerns about crowd control and event management.
The stampede at the foot overbridge inauguration, though unfortunate, highlights the importance of proper crowd management at public events. While the injured are expected to recover, the incident has cast a shadow over the launch of a project intended to improve public safety in the area. Authorities will likely review the event’s handling to prevent such occurrences in the future.