Kolkata: Kolkata Police are probing whether poor crowd management, confusion over entry and exit routes and heavy rain led to the stampede at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal that killed 19 people on Saturday evening, a senior officer said.
Eyewitnesses said visitors were left confused during the evening rush after announcements regarding entry points, exits and the movement of crowds sounded inconsistent. Residents of the locality also alleged that policing on the ground was thin, with much of the force reportedly stationed close to the entrance reserved for VIPs.
Questions Over Arrangements
Local people further claimed that injured did not receive adequate administrative support while being rushed to hospitals.
“There must be some lapses, but these should be probed. Whether lapses were on the part of the organisers or they had flouted the rules to erect the pandal will be checked,” the police officer told PTI.
According to the officer, investigators are reconstructing the sequence of events that preceded the crush, reviewing the crowd-control plan, inspecting the arrangements within the pandal premises and assessing how quickly the authorities reacted once the emergency unfolded, as reported by India Today.
“Eyewitness accounts and other evidence will be examined as part of the investigation,” he added.
Evidence Collection Begins
A forensic team arrived at the site late on Saturday and started gathering material evidence from the pandal area, another senior police official said.
Kolkata Police have also summoned puja organisers for questioning and asked the committee to furnish details of private security guards and other staff deployed to handle the crowd. The investigators plan to record statements from policemen who were on duty and scrutinise CCTV recordings to determine each individual’s role at the time of the incident.
“We will also talk to the policemen who were posted there. Our officers are talking to the puja organisers. We are preparing the list of people and examining the CCTV footage to find out their respective roles during the time of the mishap,” the officer added.
PM, CM Announce Compensation
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari visited Calcutta Medical College and Hospital, where many of the wounded were admitted, and announced Rs 25 lakh in compensation along with a government job for the family of every person killed. Each injured person will receive Rs 5 lakh, while the state will meet the entire cost of their treatment.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of each deceased person and Rs 50,000 for every injured person.
Pandal Sealed
Police have sealed the pandal, detained people linked to its organisation and security for questioning, and started a probe. The puja committee’s general secretary and other office-bearers have resigned.
Kolkata Police have imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the BNSS around the pandal and nearby areas, banning gatherings.
Minister Dilip Ghosh called the stampede unfortunate and sought a thorough probe. He said negligence can sometimes lead to such incidents at crowded pandals.
He condoled the deaths and said the Chief Minister, Health Minister, chief secretary and other officials had reached the spot or hospital.
Ghosh said Durga Puja should continue, but such tragedies must not happen again.