Kolkata Police has restricted unlawful gatherings of five or more people in specified areas near Chorbagan until Navami, after an incident in the area reportedly left 19 people dead. The order, issued by Police Commissioner Ajay Nand, applies from Sunday to Tuesday to parts of the Bowbazar police station area and is intended to prevent a breach of peace and protect public safety.
According to the police notification reported by Anandabazar, the restrictions cover four defined stretches: the section from Collutola Street to Eden Hospital Road along College Street; the corresponding section along Chittaranjan Avenue; Collutola Street between College Street and C.R. Avenue; and Eden Hospital Road between C.R. Avenue and College Street. The notified area is close to the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Puja pandal, although the police order itself does not mention Chorbagan.
The order prohibits unlawful assemblies of five or more people within the specified zone. Carrying sticks or weapons in the area has also been prohibited. The restriction does not cover the entire Bowbazar police station area, with the notification limited to the roads and stretches identified by the commissioner.
The police action follows the reported deaths at the Chorbagan event. The report said Kolkata Police had registered a suo motu First Information Report against the organisers. The case includes charges under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, Section 110 for an attempt at culpable homicide, and Section 3(5) for offences allegedly committed by a group with a common intention.
Fourteen people have reportedly been detained for questioning. The report did not provide details of any arrests, charges against individual organisers or the findings of the investigation. The legal position of those detained will depend on the investigation and subsequent proceedings.
Police Commissioner Nand and Governor R.N. Ravi visited Kolkata Medical College and Hospital on Sunday, where they met injured people receiving treatment and reviewed their condition, according to the report. The visit came as authorities began examining the circumstances surrounding the incident and the management of the event.
The puja committee’s publicly circulated poster reportedly names Debdeep Adhikari as being associated with the event. It also identifies Jorasanko BJP MLA Bijoy Ojha as the committee’s chairman and North Kolkata district BJP president Tamoghna Ghosh as another person connected with the puja. These associations form part of the public information cited in the report, while the police investigation will establish individual responsibility, if any.
The report also said that the Special Task Force, Criminal Investigation Department and fire services would collect samples from the site. Authorities have said the incident will be investigated. The immediate operational measure is the temporary restriction on gatherings and weapons in the notified streets, while the next steps will depend on the ongoing inquiry and the condition of those injured.
