A video that has surfaced shows a large crowd rushing into the Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata, with some people running while holding umbrellas amid heavy rain. The stampede broke out around 7.40 pm on Saturday, leaving 19 people dead and 25 others injured. The incident occurred on Saptami, the seventh day of the 10-day Hindu festival, when the pandal was witnessing a large influx of visitors.
Crowd Surge
The footage shows people entering the pandal in large numbers as rain continues, with some seen hurrying forward under umbrellas. The crowd surge led to a stampede at the popular Durga Puja venue.
The incident took place during one of the busiest periods of the festival, when large numbers of devotees and visitors turn out to see decorated pandals across Kolkata.
At least 19 people lost their lives in the stampede, while 25 others sustained injuries. The injured were taken for medical treatment.
Also Read: Rain, Crowd Surge, Entry-Exit Confusion: What Led To Deadly Kolkata Pandal Stampede?
Probe Ordered
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Sunday said that 18 of the deceased were from different parts of West Bengal, while one person hailed from Muzaffarpur in Bihar.
Speaking after a high-level meeting at Bhawani Bhaban, the state Criminal Investigation Department (CID) headquarters, Adhikari said the bodies would be handed over to their families after post-mortem examinations.
Magistrates and officers of Deputy Superintendent of Police rank have been assigned to oversee the handover of the bodies and remain with the bereaved families until the cremations are completed, he said.
The state government has also constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the circumstances surrounding the stampede.
Adhikari said personnel from Kolkata Police, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation and the fire services department had been excluded from the SIT to ensure that their roles in the incident could be examined.
Compensation
The Chief Minister said he would visit the families of the deceased on October 20-21 to offer condolences and hand over compensation cheques of Rs 25 lakh to each family.
The stampede has raised concerns over crowd management and safety arrangements at major Durga Puja gatherings, particularly during periods of heavy rainfall.
The investigation is expected to examine the circumstances that led to the crowd surge and the measures in place to manage the large number of visitors at the pandal.
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