Kolkata Police have arrested seven people after a stampede at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal killed 19 visitors and injured 25 others on Saturday.
Police said the action was taken as investigators examine whether poor crowd management, narrow exits and an announcement that the pandal structure might collapse contributed to the disaster. Those arrested include senior organisers of the puja and supervisors of private security arrangements. The West Bengal government has ordered a special investigation into the incident.
The seven arrested include Puja Committee secretary Raj Kumar Sewda, alias Raja, 48, and vice-president Santanu Dubey, 55. Police also arrested Biplab Mukherjee, alias Joy, 48, who worked on the pandal’s bamboo structure. Koushik Saha, 53, who handled crowd management and checked VIP passes, and Pintu Dey, 51, who was also assigned crowd-control duties, were arrested. Suman Chakraborty, 30, and Rajesh Pal, 29, both private security in-charges, complete the list. Officers initially detained 14 people for questioning. A suo motu case was registered at Girish Park police station on Saturday under Sections 105, 110 and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The incident occurred at about 7.40 pm on saturday, during Saptami celebrations. The state government will provide Rs 25 lakh in compensation to the families of the deceased. Those injured will receive Rs 5 lakh in financial assistance, and the government will cover their medical expenses. Kolkata Police has imposed prohibitory orders in parts of Bowbazar from October 18 to 20, banning public gatherings. The restrictions, issued under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, cover areas around College Street, CR Avenue, Colootola Street and Eden Hospital Road, and will remain in force until further notice, police said.
The state government has announced a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the deaths and examine possible negligence.
Police said the narrow entrance, exit and approach road worsened congestion as people pushed in different directions. West Bengal minister Umesh Rai called the incident a “case of mismanagement”. Explaining the crowd movement, he said, “This was a case of mismanagement; people should have been prevented from entering. West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said the investigation would be headed by a sitting Calcutta High Court judge and involve officers from the Special Task Force, Criminal Investigation Department and other agencies. He also said he would seek a separate fact-finding exercise through the High Court.
The allegations include culpable homicide not amounting to murder. Investigators are examining the arrangements made by the committee, security staff and those responsible for regulating visitors. Heavy rain drove people waiting outside towards the shelter of the pandal, while visitors already inside struggled to leave. Some fell in the crowd and were trampled. Investigators are also reviewing a video of a microphone announcement warning that the pandal might collapse. Police have not established who made it or whether the warning directly caused the stampede. Officers have collected CCTV footage and eyewitness accounts, while forensic personnel have examined the site. Residents alleged there were too few police personnel and volunteers near the crowded venue. Some also complained that attention had been concentrated around the VIP entrance. Furthermore, the lighting inside the pandal was somewhat dim; it was a themed pandal, making it difficult for people to gauge how crowded it actually was. An eligible family member will also be offered a Group D government job. The Chorbagan pandal was closed to visitors, and authorities advised several other heavily attended Durga Puja venues in Kolkata to suspend public entry temporarily while safety arrangements were reviewed.
Police said the seven arrested on Sunday were among them and that further arrests were possible.
