A tragic stampede at the Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata claimed 19 lives and left 25 others injured on Saturday evening. The incident, which occurred during the Saptami celebrations, has led to the arrest of seven individuals, including key organisers of the event.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited the Apollo Hospital on Sunday to meet the injured and their families. West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced a compensation package for the victims' families, including ₹25 lakh and a government job for each family of the deceased. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed his condolences and announced an ex gratia payment of ₹2 lakh for the families of those who died and ₹50,000 for the injured.
The stampede was reportedly triggered by inadequate crowd management and confusing announcements during a sudden downpour. Eyewitnesses and local police suggested that these factors contributed to the chaos. In response, the Kolkata Police have launched an investigation and have reviewed CCTV footage to determine the events leading up to the tragedy.
Among those who lost their lives was a Class 12 student from North 24 Parganas and a nurse from Hooghly. The incident has cast a shadow over the festive season, with several major Durga Puja pandals in Kolkata temporarily closed due to safety concerns.
In the aftermath, junior doctors at Kolkata Medical College alleged mismanagement in handling the injured, claiming that patients were being referred to private hospitals despite the college's status as a top-tier government facility. However, the West Bengal Health Minister denied these allegations, asserting that the medical system was functioning adequately.
As the city grapples with the aftermath, prohibitory orders have been imposed around the Chorbagan area under Section 163 of the BNSS. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been ordered to probe the incident, and a sitting judge from the Calcutta High Court will oversee the investigation.
Meanwhile, Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang expressed his sorrow over the incident, offering condolences to the bereaved families and wishing a speedy recovery for the injured. The tragedy has prompted a reevaluation of crowd control measures at large public gatherings, with authorities pledging to prevent such incidents in the future.
