A tragic stampede at the popular Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durgotsab Samity pandal in north Kolkata on Saturday evening (Saptami) left at least 19 people dead and 25 injured.
The disaster unfolded amidst heavy rain as massive crowds rushed through a narrow bylane seeking shelter, leading to slippery conditions and a catastrophic chain reaction of falls.
Key Developments & Investigation
- SIT Probe Formulated: West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by a sitting judge of the Calcutta High Court to investigate the lapses that caused the tragedy.
- Arrests Made: Police have arrested seven individuals, including event management officials, security agency representatives, and core pandal organisers.
- Pandal Closures: Following the incident, authorities shut down the Chorbagan pandal alongside other high-footfall venues across the city, including Chetla Agrani and Tala Prottay, as a safety precaution.
- Political Fallout: The TMC faction pointed fingers at accountability within committee leadership, while Amit Shah canceled scheduled Sunday engagements to visit the injured victims.
Relief and Compensation Packages
The state and central governments have announced financial assistance packages for the affected families:
- State Compensation: ₹25 lakh ex-gratia and a government job for the families of the deceased, alongside ₹5 lakh for each injured person with fully covered medical expenses.
- Central Assistance: Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh for the next of kin of each deceased individual and ₹50,000 for those injured.