The Kolkata Durga Puja stampede at the Chorebagan pandal has killed at least 19 people and injured 24 others, prompting arrests, a special investigation team and safety inspections at major puja venues across West Bengal. The stampede took place on Saturday evening during Maha Saptami, when a surge in the crowd occurred amid rain.
Police arrested the organisers of the Chorebagan Durga Puja and seven others on Sunday, according to the report. A police officer said that 12 people had been detained in connection with the incident and that investigators were questioning them to establish what triggered the crowd surge. An earlier account in the report referred to five detentions, making the final number of people detained distinct from the arrests announced later.
The incident has led authorities to examine whether crowd-management and safety arrangements failed at the north Kolkata venue. West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said strict action would be taken against anyone found responsible for lapses. He said investigators would examine CCTV footage collected from the site by the Anti-Rowdy Section of Kolkata Police.
The footage will be used to assess the conduct of those responsible for managing the crowd, including puja committee members, homeguards, temporary workers, police personnel and private security guards. “Nobody will be spared,” Adhikari said, according to the report, adding that action would follow if lapses were established.
The state government has formed a special investigation team headed by a sitting judge of the Calcutta High Court. The team will include members of the Special Task Force, the Criminal Investigation Department and other departments. Its mandate is to investigate the circumstances that led to the stampede and determine whether safety and crowd-control failures contributed to the deaths and injuries.
A separate review panel will inspect prominent Durga Puja pandals and assess crowd management, exit routes and structural safety. The panel will be led by Disaster Management Principal Secretary Rajesh Sinha, Fire Services Director General Anuj Sharma and Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Javed Shamim.
The inspections are intended to cover security arrangements and the structural safety of major venues. The chief minister has directed organisers to follow the panel’s recommendations, with visitor safety prioritised over elaborate structures and themes. The investigation and the inspections will determine the next official actions after the Chorebagan tragedy.
