India News | Kolkata Pandal Stampede: Bengal Govt Forms SIT, Announces Rs 25 Lakh Ex-gratia, Job for Victims' Kin
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. The West Bengal government has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to conduct a thorough inquiry into the tragic stampede at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal, State Cabinet Minister Umesh Rai said on Sunday, terming the incident a "case of mismanagement."
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], October 18 (ANI): The West Bengal government has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to conduct a thorough inquiry into the tragic stampede at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal, State Cabinet Minister Umesh Rai said on Sunday, terming the incident a "case of mismanagement".
The state government has also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 25 lakh and a government job for the next of kin of those who died, alongside Rs 5 lakh financial assistance for each of the injured.
Speaking to ANI, Minister Umesh Rai said, "The government has constituted an SIT to conduct a thorough inquiry into the entire matter. The government is providing financial assistance of Rs 25 lakh to the families of the deceased. Additionally, if there is an eligible family member, the state government will provide them with a 'Group D' government job. For those who were injured, the government is providing financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh and has taken full responsibility for their medical treatment."
Explaining the sequence of events that led to the tragedy, Rai pointed to a sudden downpour that triggered a chaotic crowd surge inside the themed pandal.
"Durga Puja is one of the largest festivals in the world. Large crowds are natural... a large number of people had been visiting the pandal in Chorbagan over the past few days. Yesterday, however, there was a sudden downpour, and as the rain began, the people waiting in line surged into the pandal all at once. The pandal was already packed, and because of the rain, those inside were not leaving, while a large number of people from the outside pushed their way in," the minister said.
Rai admitted that there were serious lapses on the ground, noting that entry should have been regulated and restricted.
"This was a case of mismanagement; people should have been prevented from entering. Furthermore, the lighting inside the pandal was somewhat dim; it was a themed pandal, making it difficult for people to gauge how crowded it actually was. This led to a stampede, resulting in 19 deaths. Additionally, 25 people were injured; they are currently receiving treatment at various hospitals, including medical colleges and government hospitals," he added.
The tragedy occurred at the renowned Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal in North Kolkata, where an overwhelming surge of devotees led to a fatal stampede that claimed 19 lives and left 25 others hospitalised.
Following the incident, the Kolkata Police imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, across sensitive parts of the city for three days, effective from October 18 to October 20, to maintain law and order and prevent any untoward incidents.
According to an order issued by Kolkata Police Commissioner Ajay Nand, the restrictions have been enforced in areas falling under the jurisdiction of the Bowbazar Police Station, specifically bounded by College Street, Central Avenue (CR Avenue), Colootola Street, and Eden Hospital Road.
The prohibitory order bans unlawful assemblies of five or more persons, carrying lathis, lethal or other dangerous weapons, and any activity likely to disturb public tranquillity or cause a breach of peace in the designated zone.
"Now, therefore, in exercise of the power conferred by Sub-Section (1) of Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023 read with the Sub-Section (3) of the said Section, I, Ajay Nand, Commissioner of Police, Kolkata being an Executive Magistrate for the Metropolitan area of Kolkata as well as in the district of South 24 Parganas(within the limits of the suburbs of Kolkata falling under Kolkata police jurisdiction) do hereby prohibit for a period of 03(three) days from 18.10.2026 to 20.10.2026 or until further order, any unlawful assembly of 05(five) or more persons, carrying of lathi, any lethal or other dangerous weapons or doing of any act which is likely to cause breach of the peace and disturbances of the public tranquility within the said Area in the town of Kolkata," the order reads.
The order was issued in view of concerns over possible violent demonstrations, rallies and meetings that could affect public order and safety. It will remain in force for three days or until further orders.
The incident occurred amid heavy crowds at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata. The injured were shifted to hospitals for treatment as authorities initiated measures to investigate the circumstances surrounding the stampede. (ANI)
(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)