Kolkata stampede: SIT to probe security lapses after 19 deaths; 7 arrested
A tragic stampede occurred at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal, resulting in 19 fatalities and multiple injuries. The West Bengal government announced the formation of a special investigation team to look into the incident. Overcrowding and rain exacerbated the chaos, affecting visitor safety at the pandal. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari confirmed that puja committee members were…
Seven individuals, including officials from the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durgotsab Samity, have been arrested following the stampede at a Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata that resulted in 19 deaths and 25 injuries. The state government has formed a special investigation team (SIT) to investigate the incident, focusing on potential crowd management and security lapses.
The arrested individuals include Raj Kumar Sewda, Santanu Dubey, Biplab Mukherjee, Koushik Saha, Pintu Dey, Suman Chakraborty, and Rajesh Pal. They are accused of failing to manage crowd flow and ensure proper security measures. The Kolkata Police have registered a case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, and a forensic team is examining the scene.
The SIT will scrutinize the events leading up to the stampede, including the pandal's overcrowding, dark interiors, and the timing of announcements and whistles. West Bengal's minister Umesh Rai called for a transparent investigation and urged political parties to refrain from politicizing the tragedy.
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Also reported by 1 other outlet
- Kolkata: Video shows crowd breaching barricades, tussling with cops day before stampede timesofindia.indiatimes.com
