Sunday, December 18 2005 15:20 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Chennai: Forty two persons, including 23 women, were killed and 37 injured in a stampede at a Corporation school in the city where coupons for flood relief were to be distributed today (Dec 18,2005).

The incident occurred at around five am when over 4500 people who gathered in front of the school at M G R Nagar rushed into the building following a sudden downpour, breaking the police cordon, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa told reporters.

The coupons were scheduled to be distributed from the ration shops but was shifted to the school as the shops were located in very narrow lanes, Jayalalithaa said.

Jayalalithaa, who visited the injured in the Government general hospital, announced an inquiry commission headed by a retired High Court judge to probe the causes that led to the stampede.

Speaking to reporters, Jayalalithaa also announced a solatium of Rs one lakh each to the kin of the deceased and Rs 15000 each to the injured. She distributed the relief to some of the relatives of the deceased and to the injured.

Yesterday (Dec 17,2005),3452 families were issued coupons at the school and it was announced through 'public address systems' that over 4,500 families would be given the coupons from 9 AM today, she said.

Nine counters were set up in the school for the purpose.

She said 4.02 lakh families in the city have received coupons.

This is the second such incident in the city. Six persons were killed and 20 injured in a stampede near a relief camp in North Chennai on November 6.