Autopsy findings from the Chorbagan puja pandal stampede in Kolkata indicate that crowd pressure caused fatal injuries among several of the 19 people reported dead in the incident, with at least six victims suffering broken ribs that pierced their lungs, according to a report published by Sangbad Pratidin.
The report said most of the victims died from suffocation after the crowd became tightly packed inside the pandal during the incident on Saptami night. Seven victims reportedly suffered suffocation along with injuries to multiple organs. Other post-mortem findings included broken hands and legs, brain haemorrhages and multiple injury marks.
The incident reportedly occurred after rain began at around 7.40 pm on Saturday. According to the preliminary account cited in the report, the crowd surged near the exit gate as visitors tried to leave the pandal. The narrow gate became congested, increasing pressure inside the venue before the stampede took place.
The autopsy findings provide medical details of the physical force exerted on people caught in the crush. In at least six cases, the report said, broken ribs entered the lungs. In several other cases, the victims suffered suffocation along with extensive trauma. The findings indicate that the emergency was not limited to people falling or being trampled, but involved sustained pressure in a confined exit area.
Police have arrested seven people in connection with the incident, according to the report. The supplied account did not specify the charges or identify the individuals arrested. It also did not provide details of the investigation into the design, capacity, crowd-control arrangements or emergency access at the pandal.
The state government has announced compensation of Rs 25 lakh and one government job for each family of the deceased, while injured people will receive Rs 5 lakh, the report said. The compensation announcement was attributed to Chief Minister Shuvendu Adhikari.
Following the incident, the state has decided to prohibit VIP passes at major puja pandals and require visitors to enter through a single queue, according to the report. The decision was announced after a meeting at Bhabhanibhavan, with the chief minister saying that measures were being taken after learning from the disaster.
The report also said that the state’s Vijaya Sammilani event scheduled for October 26 would be conducted without elaborate arrangements. Puja committees are expected to attend, while tributes will be paid to those who died and financial assistance will be handed to injured people.
The next steps will depend on the police investigation and the implementation of the new crowd-management instructions at major puja venues. The supplied report does not establish whether further safety audits, venue-capacity reviews or formal findings on responsibility have been completed.
