Stories
Chorbagan stampede is a black day for Durga Puja says artiste Sushanta Pal
- •Theme artiste Sushanta Shibani Pal described the Chorbagan pandal stampede in north Kolkata as a tragedy that should never have happened.
- •Nineteen people were killed and 25 others injured in the stampede caused by a massive crowd surge amidst rain on Saturday evening.
- •Pal noted that visitors stopping to take photographs in front of the idol caused severe congestion inside the venue.
- •Senior police officers from Lalbazar had previously visited the pandal and monitored the situation to suggest crowd management measures.
- •The puja was closed indefinitely following the tragic incident, overshadowing the artistic 'Orb' theme that had drawn large crowds.
Key Questions Answered
A deadly stampede occurred at the Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal on Saturday evening following a massive surge of visitors amid heavy rain. People inside the pandal were reluctant to leave because of the rain while others continued to enter, causing extreme congestion and chaos near the exit.
The tragic stampede resulted in 19 deaths and left numerous others injured, with victims being rushed to hospitals such as Calcutta Medical College and Hospital.
The West Bengal government announced Rs 25 lakh and a government job for each deceased person's family, along with Rs 5 lakh for the injured. Additionally, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the PMNRF for the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured.
