Kolkata, Oct. 24:
Police have arrested two more persons for allegedly making announcements that a portion of the Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata was collapsing, triggering panic and a stampede that killed 19 people. The total number of arrests in the case has risen to nine.
The latest arrests were those of Sanjib Raha, who was detained in Nadia district on Thursday and subsequently arrested, and Kushal Majumdar, who was picked up from the Girish Park area of Kolkata on Friday, a senior police officer said.
Investigators said CCTV footage showed the two men making announcements at the pandal on the evening of the first day of Durga Puja. The announcements reportedly warned visitors that part of the structure was collapsing and urged them to leave immediately, apparently triggering panic and a rush towards the exit.
Raha was also the treasurer of the Chorbagan Durga Puja committee, according to police. Both accused are residents of Amar Basu Sarani, around 50 metres from the puja venue.
Police said Raha had allegedly been absconding since the October 17 incident and had switched off his mobile phone. Investigators tracked several suspected mobile numbers used to contact family members and friends in an effort to trace him.
Raha has been charged under non-bailable provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and was to be produced before a court, police said. The authorities are continuing to reconstruct the sequence of events that led to the stampede.
A six-member Special Investigation Team has been formed in consultation with the Calcutta High Court to investigate the incident and recommend measures to prevent similar tragedies.