Stories
Kolkata Chorbagan Pandal Stampede Claims 19 Lives As Police Probe Rumor
- •A sudden stampede at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata claimed 19 lives and left 25 injured.
- •Police are investigating who made the microphone announcement warning that the pandal might collapse, triggering panic.
- •Heavy rain, narrow lanes, a single exit gate, and broken crowd control ropes exacerbated the fatal pressure.
- •Seven individuals, including puja committee secretary Raj Kumar Sewda and vice-president Shantanu Dubey, have been arrested.
- •A Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by a sitting High Court judge has been formed to probe the incident.
Key Questions Answered
A sudden stampede broke out amidst heavy rain and overcrowding when an announcement was made over the microphone warning that the pandal was deteriorating and might collapse. The narrow lanes, a single exit gate, and failing crowd-control ropes worsened the pressure, resulting in 19 deaths and 25 injuries.
Police have arrested seven individuals in connection with the incident, including the puja committee secretary Raj Kumar Sewda, vice-president Shantanu Dubey, and staff associated with pandal construction. A case has been registered under specific sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita while investigations into safety lapses continue.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by a sitting High Court judge was formed to probe the incident. Additionally, Kolkata Police registered suo motu cases for attempt to commit culpable homicide, and a special inspection team of senior disaster management and police officials was deployed to check safety arrangements across Kolkata pandals.
