Indian Idol no show

Pandemonium at the auditions of the popular TV reality show, police embark on a lathicharge, a dozen injured

Reality bites is a cliche and it seemed evident yet again on Tuesday at the Indian Idol auditions in Noida.
Surpassing the organisers' expectations, more than 10,000 contestants appeared at the Expo Mart in Noida's Sector 62, the venue for the Delhi auditions.

When the gates were opened at 9 am, the aspirants who had been waiting for several hours, went into
frenzy.

There was complete chaos as several participants tripped over one another in a mad rush to get in.
Noida police resorted to lathicharge to control the situation. A dozen people were injured, many suffering fractures in their legs apart from sustaining head injuries.

"The entry to the venue was opened initially for a thousand candidates. But later many more rushed in, resulting in a stampede," said SP AK Tripathi.

According to eyewitnesses, there was no provision for emergency services at the venue.u00a0
The organisers had sought permission for 2,000 participants from the Noida authority, but were taken by surprise when about 10,000 people turned up.