Kasaragod: Police have registered a case after a stampede-like situation at a music concert left over 30 people injured here on Sunday night. Five members of the organising committee have been booked over alleged lapses in connection with the incident, officials said. Hundreds had gathered to attend popular Malayalam playback singer Hanan Shah’s performance, organised as part of an expo near the private bus stand.

As the crowd swelled, chaos broke out, prompting the district police chief to reach the spot and order the programme to be stopped. Police later resorted to a lathi charge to disperse sections of the crowd. Officials said a major stampede was averted due to their timely intervention.

Police said an FIR has been lodged against the organisers — Shahzaman Thottan, Nawalu Rahiman, Haris Aboobeckar, Khalid ED, Jubair and other identifiable members of the event committee.

The complaint notes that while the organisers had initially sought permission for a gathering of 5,000 people, the police, after inspecting the temporary stage and venue, authorised attendance for only 3,000 and issued a written warning against overcrowding.

Despite this, the organisers allegedly sold more than 10,000 tickets, blatantly violating the police directive, the FIR states.

The Kasaragod Police Station registered the case under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita — Sections 125 (endangering human life), 125(a) (endangering personal safety resulting in hurt), 189(3) (unlawful assembly), 3(5) (joint criminal liability) — along with Section 118(e) of the Kerala Police Act for knowingly acting in a manner that threatens public safety.

Police officials said the organisers have been called in for questioning and that further legal action will be taken.

According to police, many attendees complained of physical discomfort and sustained injuries due to the heavy congestion. Around 10 people were initially taken to nearby hospitals, with more seeking treatment later. All are reported to be stable, officials confirmed.

Police said the crowd became unmanageable by around 9 pm as more people continued to pour into the venue. When several attendees refused to leave despite warnings, the concert was called off.

Visuals aired by news channels showed some people clashing with the police. 

The organisers claimed that more people turned up for the programme as it was held on a Sunday.

In the FIR, police stated that the organisers ignored warnings against conducting the event on a small ground. It is also alleged that although the ticket price was ₹100, it was sold at exorbitant rates, leading to a crowd far beyond the venue’s capacity. Chaos erupted when ticket-holders tried to enter the venue but were blocked by police citing security concerns.