KOLKATA: Seven people, including office-bearers of a Durga Puja committee and employees of a private security agency, have been arrested in connection with a stampede at a north Kolkata pandal that killed 19 people and injured 25 others on Saturday evening.Police said inadequate crowd management, narrow entry and exit points and misleading announcements following a sudden downpour may have contributed to the tragedy at the Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal during Saptami celebrations.A case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder has been registered, and a special investigation team (SIT) will probe the incident.The arrests came after police detained 14 people on Saturday night. Those arrested include Chorbagan Puja committee secretary Rajkumar Seoda and vice-president Shantanu Dubey, along with Biplab Mukhopadhyay, who was responsible for installing the bamboo structure, and Kaushik Saha and Pintu De, who were in charge of crowd management.Two employees of a private security agency, Suman Chakraborty and Rajesh Pal, have also been arrested.“We have arrested seven people. They were among the 14 detained last night. More arrests may be made,” a senior IPS officer told PTI.
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Rain, crowd surge and confusion at the gates
According to police, a sudden downpour led to a large number of people seeking shelter inside the pandal, while those already there struggled to leave.The narrow gates and approach road added to the congestion, with some visitors attempting to escape through the entrance during the stampede.Police said announcements about entry, exit and crowd movement were inadequate, leaving visitors confused during the rush.“We have gathered sufficient evidence pointing to gross mismanagement by the puja organisers. There was no clear plan to manage the large number of visitors, and everything was handled verbally. We have collected CCTV camera footage, recorded accounts from locals and eyewitnesses, and corroborated our findings. Security personnel were inadequate,” the police officer told PTI.Investigators are also examining a video recording of an announcement asking people to leave the pandal on the grounds that the structure was about to collapse.“We have video footage of an announcement asking people to leave the pandal on the grounds that the structure was about to collapse. We are trying to identify who made the announcement and what prompted it,” the officer said.Police said the number of personnel and private security guards deployed at the venue was inadequate. They are examining CCTV footage, gathering eyewitness accounts and preparing a list of those involved in security and crowd management.
Minister points to lapses by organisers, security agency
West Bengal minister Umesh Rai, who visited the injured at Calcutta Medical College and Hospital, said the circumstances indicated lapses in the arrangements.“I am not in a position to judge this. This is a very tragic accident. The chief minister had called for action against those responsible yesterday. We are forming an SIT, which will investigate the entire incident and the circumstances in which it occurred. Two or three things are immediately clear.”“There had been a huge crowd at the puja pandal over the past several days. As soon as it started raining, a large number of people entered the pandal. However, those who were already inside could not come out because of the rain, resulting in a stampede. It was dark inside, as it was a themed puja.”Rai said the rush intensified as people continued entering while visitors inside were unable to leave because of the rain.“The accident did not happen simply because it was dark. People were entering from one side and exiting from the other. When it started raining, people inside could not leave the pandal, while a large number of people continued to enter from behind. The stampede occurred at that point. There were lapses on the part of the puja organisers and the security agency responsible for the arrangements,” he said.“The SIT will investigate the incident. We have been celebrating Durga Puja with great enthusiasm in West Bengal over the past several days. More than 58,000 Durga Pujas have been organised in the state this year, and this incident occurred at one pandal. Strict action will be taken against whoever was responsible for the negligence. The government is firmly committed to taking strict action. Nineteen people died last night and 25 were admitted to hospital. One of them was in a slightly serious condition, but is now stable,” Rai added.
Residents allege inadequate police presence
Local residents who were among the first to respond to the emergency blamed poor crowd management and an inadequate police presence for the tragedy.“There weren’t enough policemen or even volunteers,” one resident said.“I have not seen adequate police presence this year. This resulted in the mismanagement,” Sanghamitra Bhowmik, a resident of the Chorbagan area, said.Residents also alleged that police personnel were concentrated near the VIP entrance and that administrative assistance in taking the injured to hospitals was limited.Police said they would question survivors and personnel deployed at the venue to establish how the situation unfolded.“We need first-hand accounts to cross-check the findings based on statements from locals and other eyewitnesses. This will help our investigation,” the IPS officer said.“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.A forensic team visited the site late on Saturday and collected evidence. Another team was expected to conduct further examinations, while officers from the Detective Department would also investigate.‘Many pandals are dimly lit’Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari visited the hospital where the injured were being treated and urged puja organisers to follow the authorities’ advice on safety arrangements.“Many pandals are dimly lit in the name of theme puja,” he said.Theme-based pandals are a major feature of Durga Puja celebrations in Kolkata and other parts of West Bengal, with organisers competing to create elaborate installations.Adhikari said family members of two victims had told him that whistles blown by private security guards in the pandal area led to a rush among visitors.Police Commissioner Ajay Kumar Nanda also visited the hospital. According to hospital sources, the injured were initially admitted to the emergency department, while 11 patients were shifted to SSKM Hospital. The deceased included 13 women and a child, a source at the medical college said.The police commissioner has imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 on roads adjoining the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal. The restrictions, which prohibit gatherings on the surrounding roads under Bowbazar police station’s jurisdiction, will remain in force until October 20.The state government has announced compensation of Rs 25 lakh and a Group D government job for the family of each deceased victim. A toll-free helpline, 18003455678, has also been set up to provide information about those affected by the incident.
