RSS volunteers began assisting bereaved families outside the Medical College morgue in Kolkata after the Chorbagan stampede, while preparing to support injured people and police-led rescue efforts, according to a report by Sangbad Pratidin.
The volunteers from the west division of the RSS’s Burrabazar region were seen at the morgue from Sunday morning, helping families who had gathered after the accident during the Durga Puja celebrations. The report said the volunteers were providing water, biscuits, assistance with traffic management and other forms of support.
According to the report, 25 volunteers had already begun working at the site, while more than 100 others were on standby outside. The group said it was also prepared to assist injured people and help the police with rescue operations if required.
The response has unfolded as families seek information and support following the incident at Chorbagan Sarbojanin. The report said 12 hours after the accident, responsibility for the incident was being debated among the administration, the puja committee, private security personnel and members of the public.
Neeraj Pandey, identified as one of the volunteers assisting people at the site, told Sangbad Pratidin that the organisation responds wherever people are in distress. He said RSS workers had also assisted people after the Posta Bridge disaster and were providing whatever help was possible at Chorbagan.
Another volunteer, Ajay Yadav, said that 25 to 30 volunteers were working at the location and that more than 100 others were ready to join if needed. He described the work as a duty and said the volunteers had been active since the previous night.
The report does not provide an official account of the stampede’s cause, the confirmed number of casualties or the precise division of responsibilities among the administration, organisers and security personnel. Those details will need to come from official statements and investigation findings. For families at the morgue and people affected by the incident, the immediate response has involved a combination of government services, local assistance and volunteer support.
