The retired judge leading the inquiry into the Kolkata Durga Puja pandal stampede has said the three-month deadline for submitting the report is tight, but that the six-member Special Investigation Team will strive to meet it. The October 17 incident at the Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata killed 19 people and injured 25 others.
Justice Anindita Roy Saraswati, who heads the SIT, said on Thursday that the team would meet soon to prepare a roadmap for the investigation and visit the site to determine what caused the incident. The SIT was constituted by the West Bengal government in consultation with the Calcutta High Court.
The inquiry will examine the sequence of events leading to the stampede-like situation, including what triggered the initial crowd surge, how many people were present and whether the gathering exceeded the venue’s assessed safe capacity. Investigators will also review CCTV footage, mobile phone videos, forensic findings, call records, police station and control room logs, medical records and other evidence linked to the incident.
The scope of the probe extends beyond the actions of the organisers. It will assess the preparedness and response of the puja committee, police, private security personnel, volunteers, ambulance services, hospitals, fire services and civic authorities. The investigation is also expected to examine whether emergency access, crowd movement and coordination between agencies were adequate during the incident.
The SIT comprises the retired judge, the Principal Secretary of the Disaster Management and Civil Defence Department, the Director General and Inspector General of Police of the Special Task Force, a West Bengal Police representative not below the rank of Additional Director General, a representative of the Home and Hill Affairs Department not below the rank of Joint Secretary, and a representative of the National Disaster Response Force in Kolkata.
The stampede has already triggered police and administrative action. Kolkata Police have registered a suo motu case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, and seven people, including members of the Chorbagan puja organising committee, have been arrested, according to the report. The West Bengal Fire Services Department has issued notices to three Durga Puja committees over alleged safety lapses.
Officials conducting inspections have also stressed the need for adequate lighting and ventilation inside pandals. The measures are intended to prevent dark spots, improve visibility and support crowd management in temporary festival structures. The focus on these conditions places the incident within a wider urban safety framework involving large public gatherings, temporary construction, emergency evacuation and the responsibilities of multiple agencies.
The death toll includes 13 females, including five minors, while three other deceased people were minors, according to the report. The State government has said that the 25 injured people were moved to private hospitals because officials believed they could receive better treatment there, and that none of those injured had died.
The SIT’s next steps are to finalise its investigation plan and visit the Chorbagan site. Its report is due within three months, although its chair has acknowledged that the deadline will be difficult to meet.
