The Kolkata pandal stampede that killed 19 people and injured 25 during Saptami celebrations was linked to inadequate crowd control, narrow access points and confusing public announcements, according to a senior Kolkata Police officer. The incident occurred at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata on the evening of October 17, after a sudden downpour triggered a surge among visitors.
Police said circumstantial evidence, CCTV footage and accounts from locals and eyewitnesses pointed to gross mismanagement at the venue. The force also found that the number of police personnel and private security guards deployed at the pandal was inadequate for the size of the crowd.
“There was no clear plan to manage the large number of visitors, and everything was handled verbally,” the police officer told PTI. According to the officer, the entrance gate and the approach road were both narrow. During the rush, people attempted to leave through the entrance gate, worsening the congestion and contributing to the stampede.
Police are also investigating announcements made during the incident. The officer said investigators had found video footage of an announcement asking visitors to leave the pandal because the structure was allegedly about to collapse. The police are trying to identify who made the announcement and what prompted it. Officers said announcements concerning entry, exit and crowd movement were inadequate and left visitors confused.
Local residents also alleged that police deployment at the venue was insufficient, with personnel concentrated mainly near the VIP entrance. The allegation is part of the broader investigation, which includes an assessment of the security arrangements and the movement of visitors through the venue and its approach roads.
A team of forensic experts visited the pandal on the night of October 17 and collected evidence. Another forensic team was scheduled to visit on October 18, while officers from the Detective Department were also expected to examine the site. Kolkata Police said survivors would be questioned to obtain first-hand accounts and cross-check statements collected from locals and other witnesses.
The incident has led to restrictions around the pandal. Kolkata Police Commissioner Ajay Kumar Nand imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 on roads adjoining the venue on the morning of October 18. The restrictions cover roads around the pandal, which falls under the jurisdiction of Bowbazar Police Station, and are 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, according to the report. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has also ordered the formation of a Special Investigation Team headed by a sitting judge of the Calcutta High Court. The investigation will examine the crowd-management arrangements, the deployment of security personnel, the announcements made during the rush and the sequence of events that led to the deaths and injuries.
