Kolkata Police has imposed prohibitory orders in parts of Bowbazar from October 18 to October 20 after a stampede at a Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata killed 19 people and injured 25, prompting an investigation into crowd management arrangements and temporary restrictions at other crowded venues.
The orders, imposed by Kolkata Police Commissioner Ajay Nand, prohibit the assembly of five or more people in the specified areas. They also restrict the carrying of lathis or dangerous weapons and activities that could disturb public harmony. The measures are intended to prevent a breach of peace after the incident at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal.
The stampede occurred on Saturday evening during Maha Saptami celebrations. According to West Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhikari, an announcement by the puja organisers triggered a rush among visitors. A police officer quoted in the report said people waiting outside the pandal moved forward as heavy rain began, causing some people to fall on the road and triggering the stampede.
At least 19 people died and 25 were injured. The chief minister said 17 of the deceased died at the site, while 24 of the injured were out of danger and one person remained in critical condition. The incident occurred during one of Kolkata’s busiest annual periods for public gatherings, when temporary venues, narrow access routes and large visitor flows place additional demands on police, organisers and local administration.
The state government has announced compensation of Rs 25 lakh and a government job for the family of each deceased person. It will also bear the full cost of medical treatment for those injured and provide Rs 5 lakh to each of them, according to the chief minister.
The government will seek the intervention of the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court to constitute a fact-finding committee, the chief minister said. The proposed committee would include special task force and forensic teams and examine the circumstances leading to the stampede, including the crowd management arrangements at the venue.
Kolkata Police’s Anti-Rowdy Section has collected CCTV footage from the site for examination. Officials of the organising club, private security guards and personnel deployed on duty have been detained for questioning, according to the chief minister. He said action would be taken against those found responsible for lapses in crowd management.
The administration has also advised several crowded, theme-based Durga Puja pandals to temporarily close following the tragedy. The Bowbazar restrictions will remain in force until October 20, while the investigation and examination of the CCTV footage proceed.
