Kolkata Durga Puja stampede: Seven arrested after 19 die, loudspeaker announcement under probe

The government has ordered an SIT probe into the Chorbagan tragedy. Investigators are examining crowd movement, security arrangements and possible triggers. The state has announced Rs 25 lakh and a government job for each victim’s family, while several major Kolkata pandals have temporarily halted entry.

Kolkata: The city police have arrested seven people, including members of the organising committee, after a stampede at the Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal killed 19 people and injured dozens during Saturday (October 17) evening’s celebrations. The arrests followed the initial detention of 12 people for questioning while investigators examined possible lapses in crowd management and security at the venue.

The stampede occurred at around 7.40 pm in north Kolkata, during Saptami, the seventh day of the Durga Puja festival. Heavy rain and a sudden surge in the crowd contributed to the chaos, according to reports. The police are also investigating reports that an announcement over the loudspeaker and whistles blown by private security personnel may have contributed to the rush.

Among those arrested are Raj Kumar Sewda, secretary of the Chorbagan Durga Puja committee, and Santanu Dubey, its vice-president. The others include Biplab Mukherjee, who was involved in constructing the bamboo structure, Koushik Saha and Pintu Dey, who were responsible for crowd control, and private security in-charges Suman Chakraborty and Rajesh Pal.

The police have registered a case and are examining CCTV footage from the venue. Investigators are expected to establish whether lapses in crowd management, the handling of visitors and the safety arrangements contributed to the deaths. The investigation is going on.

Loudspeaker, whistles under probe

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said preliminary information collected at the site suggested that an announcement made by the puja organisers over a loudspeaker may have led people to rush.

"According to initial reports by the officials at the spot, the incident occurred owing to an announcement on the loudspeaker by the puja organisers," he told reporters after meeting injured people at the Kolkata Medical College and Hospital.

The precise wording of the announcement has not been established at the time of the initial reports.

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The chief minister also said relatives of two victims had told him that whistles blown by private security guards near the pandal caused people waiting to enter the venue to push forward. The police are examining these statements while reconstructing the sequence of events.

A police officer told news agency PTI that the crowd surged after rain began, with people waiting outside moving forward. Some fell on the road, setting off the stampede. The authorities are examining CCTV footage to identify how the crowd moved and whether those assigned to manage it performed their duties properly.

CM orders probe, warns organisers

Adhikari said anyone found responsible for negligence would face action, including members of the puja committee, volunteers, police personnel, temporary home guards and private security staff.

He urged organisers of theme-based Durga Puja pandals to ensure adequate lighting and sufficient entry and exit gates. Some pandals use dim lighting as part of their themes, he said, calling on organisers to follow safety advice issued by the authorities.

"Lives of people are more valuable than themes," he said.

The chief minister also announced a special investigation team (SIT) to examine the incident. According to reports, the proposed team will include personnel from the Special Task Force, Criminal Investigation Department and other agencies. The police have gathered CCTV footage for the investigation.

The state government has announced compensation of Rs 25 lakh and a Group D government job for the family of each person who died. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of each deceased person and Rs 50,000 for each injured person.

Major pandals halt entry

The administration has asked several prominent Durga Puja organisers in the city to suspend entry temporarily following the stampede. The list includes Tala Pratyay, Alipore Sarbojanin, Chetla Agrani and Ballygunge Sarbojanin, PTI reported, citing an official.

The city hosts around 3,500 Durga Puja celebrations and attracts large crowds to themed pandals throughout the festival. The Chorbagan venue was closed after the incident as the police and other agencies began their work at the site.

ALSO READ: Darkness, narrow gates, whistles: What investigators are probing in Kolkata pandal stampede

The tragedy also led to changes in the schedules of political leaders. Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrived in Kolkata on Saturday evening and had been scheduled to visit Durga Puja pandals on Sunday (October 18). CM Adhikari said official programmes, including Shah's planned visits, had been postponed following the deaths.

President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Shah, Governor RN Ravi and former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed grief over the incident and offered condolences to the bereaved families.

The injured were taken to the Kolkata Medical College and Hospital, where state officials visited them as the investigation began.

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