MLA Uma Thomas accident: Police submit chargesheet against dance event organisers
Investigators, with assistance from PWD structural engineers, found serious lapses in stage construction and safety arrangements.
Investigators, with assistance from PWD structural engineers, found serious lapses in stage construction and safety arrangements.
Investigators, with assistance from PWD structural engineers, found serious lapses in stage construction and safety arrangements.
Kochi: Police have filed a chargesheet against five persons in connection with the accident that left Thrikkakara Congress MLA Uma Thomas with serious head and spinal injuries. The Congress MLA fell from a 15-foot gallery at Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium in December last year.
The chargesheet names Nigosh Kumar, owner of Mridhanga Vision; Shameer, the firm’s CEO; Jineesh P S and Krishnakumar M D, owners of Oscar Events and the stage contractor Benny. Police identified them as organisers of the mega dance event.
The programme, aimed at securing a Guinness World Record with 12,000 dancers, was promoted by a female Malayalam film actor. However, police said her role was limited to promotion and she was not included in the chargesheet.
Investigators, with assistance from PWD structural engineers, found serious lapses in stage construction and safety arrangements. Police concluded that negligence of the organisers ended up in the accident.
The accused have been charged under Section 110 (attempt to commit culpable homicide) and Section 3(5) (collective criminal act) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The chargesheet has been filed in the Ernakulam Judicial First Class Magistrate Court-IX. Following the mishap, Uma Thomas was hospitalised for 46 days.