The Kolkata pandal stampede at the Chorbagan Durga Puja venue killed 19 people and injured 25 others after a sudden downpour triggered a rush at the crowded north Kolkata site on Saturday evening, police said. Seven people, including office-bearers of the puja committee and employees of a private security agency, have been arrested, while a special investigation team will examine the circumstances that led to the tragedy.
Police said inadequate crowd management, narrow entry and exit points, poor security deployment and confusing announcements may have contributed to the stampede during Saptami celebrations. Fourteen people were detained on Saturday night, of whom seven were later arrested. Those arrested include Chorbagan Puja committee secretary Rajkumar Seoda, vice-president Shantanu Dubey, bamboo-structure installer Biplab Mukhopadhyay, crowd-management personnel Kaushik Saha and Pintu De, and private security employees Suman Chakraborty and Rajesh Pal.
“We have arrested seven people. They were among the 14 detained last night. More arrests may be made,” a senior IPS officer told PTI, according to the report. Police have registered a case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
According to investigators, the sudden rain drove a large number of visitors into the pandal for shelter while people already inside struggled to leave. The narrow gates and approach road added to the congestion, and some visitors reportedly attempted to move out through the entrance during the rush. Police said announcements about entry, exit and crowd movement were inadequate.
The investigating officer said police had gathered CCTV footage, eyewitness accounts and statements from local residents. Investigators are also examining a video of an announcement asking visitors to leave the pandal because the structure was allegedly about to collapse. Officers are trying to identify who made the announcement and why it was issued.
“We have gathered sufficient evidence pointing to gross mismanagement by the puja organisers,” the IPS officer said. According to the officer, there was no clear plan to manage the large number of visitors, arrangements were handled verbally and the number of security personnel was inadequate. Police are preparing a list of people involved in security and crowd management and will question survivors and personnel deployed at the venue.
West Bengal minister Umesh Rai, who visited injured people at Calcutta Medical College and Hospital, said the incident appeared to involve lapses by the organisers and the security agency responsible for arrangements. He said visitors continued entering while those inside were unable to leave because of the rain. Rai added that the themed structure was dark, although he said the stampede occurred because people were entering from one side while others were unable to exit from the other.
Residents who helped respond to the emergency alleged that there were not enough police personnel or volunteers at the venue. Sanghamitra Bhowmik, a local resident, said she had not seen adequate police presence in the area. Residents also alleged that police personnel were concentrated near the VIP entrance and that administrative assistance in transporting injured people to hospitals was limited.
The deceased included 13 women and a child, according to a source at the medical college. The injured were initially taken to the emergency department, while 11 patients were shifted to SSKM Hospital. One injured person was described as slightly serious but stable.
A forensic team visited the site and collected evidence. The police commissioner has imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 on roads adjoining the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal, with restrictions under Bowbazar police station jurisdiction scheduled to 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 established to provide information about those affected. The SIT will continue examining the crowd-control arrangements, the pandal structure, the announcements made during the rain and the responsibilities of organisers, security staff and other personnel.
