Six dead, dozens hurt in stampede at Italian nightclub
Rome, Dec 8 : Six people died and dozens were injured in a stampede when panic broke out during a rap concert at an Italian nightclub Saturday morning, the fire service said.
Media reports say the suspected use of a pepper spray-like substance sparked the chaos at the venue in the town of Corinaldo, near Ancona in central Italy.
"The cause may have been the dispersal of a stinging substance, the young people fled and trampled over each other. Sadly, six people died and dozens are injured," the fire service said in a statement on Twitter.
The victims include five people under the age of 18 -- three girls and two boys - and an adult woman who accompanied her daughter to the concert, media reports say.
They said 12 of the injured were in serious condition. Witnesses said people were crushed to death after falling from a small wall as they attempted to flee.
Around 1,000 people -- many of them young -- were in the Lanterna Azzurra (Blue Lantern) club for a performance by Italian rapper Sfera Ebbasta.
The accident happened around 1am (0000 GMT).
"We were dancing and waiting for the concert to start when we smelt this pungent odour," a 16-year-old boy who was taken to hospital told the media.
"We ran to one of the emergency exits but we found it blocked, the bouncers told us to go back."
In 2017, a woman died and 1,500 were injured in a crush during the broadcast of a Champions League football match final in Turin when rumours of a bombing sparked panic.
Eight people were arrested on suspicion of causing the scramble by dispersing an irritating substance in a bid to steal from the crowd.
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Bengaluru: Four arrested for housebreaking, threats, extortion; fake PSI among accused
Bengaluru: Vidyaranyapura police have arrested four persons, including a man posing as a Police Sub-Inspector (PSI), for allegedly breaking into a house, threatening the occupants, and extorting money while wearing police uniforms.
The arrested accused have been identified as Mallikarjuna, Pramod, Vinay, and Hrithik.
Police said the accused had hatched a plan to pose as police personnel, conduct fake raids, and extort money from residents by intimidation.
ALSO READ: Bantwal police arrest two men for illegal sale of narcotics, seize two vehicles, 810 gm ganja
According to the police, Mallikarjuna had failed the PSI examination twice and later falsely projected himself as a PSI. He allegedly conducted photo shoots in his hometown, Siraguppa, wearing a police uniform, baton, cap, and shoes, claiming to be serving as a PSI in Bengaluru.
On December 7, the four accused allegedly went to the house of Naveen in the Vidyaranyapura limits, threatened him with a stick and an iron rod, and claimed they had information that he was selling ganja. Under the pretext of searching, they allegedly extorted ₹87,000 through bank transfer, ₹53,000 in cash kept in the house, and ₹2,000 from his wallet.
Following Naveen’s complaint, Vidyaranyapura police registered a case and launched an operation, leading to the arrest of all four accused. Police have seized ₹45,000 in cash and the car used to commit the crime.
Further investigation is underway.
