Kolkata Durga Puja stampede: CM Suvendu Adhikari to meet victims and hand over compensation cheques
Adhikari made the announcement after chairing a high-level meeting at Bhabani Bhawan in Kolkata. He said the state government was reviewing lapses in crowd management and had begun taking steps to establish accountability for the tragedy.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Sunday announced that he would visit the families of those killed in the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal stampede on October 20 and 21 to hand over compensation cheques. The death toll has risen to 19, while seven people have been arrested in connection with the incident.
Adhikari made the announcement after chairing a high-level meeting at Bhabani Bhawan in Kolkata. He said the state government was reviewing lapses in crowd management and had begun taking steps to establish accountability for the tragedy.
"One of the 19 deceased is from Bihar. The process of handing over the bodies has begun. Two of the injured admitted to the ICU have suffered bone fractures, while the remaining 23 are fit for discharge. I will visit the family of every deceased person within two days and personally hand over the compensation cheque," the Chief Minister said.
He added that teams comprising a civil administration official, a police official and the local MLA would remain with each bereaved family until the cremation.
SIT to probe role of civic and police officials
The Chief Minister said a Special
Investigation Team (SIT) would be formed to investigate the incident under the leadership of a sitting judge, subject to approval from the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court. The Chief Secretary will write to the Chief Justice seeking permission to constitute the team.
Adhikari also said personnel from Kolkata Police, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) and the State Fire Services Department had been kept out of the SIT so that their role in the incident could be examined.
"An SIT (Special Investigation Team) is also being formed, which will operate under the leadership of a sitting judge. The Chief Secretary will write to the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court. If permission is granted, we will constitute the team as soon as possible," he said.
The Chief Minister said seven people had been arrested and were in police custody under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The police have registered a suo motu case under Sections 105, 110 and 3(5) of the BNS. Fourteen other people were detained for questioning.
Those arrested include Raj Kumar Sewda, alias Raja, secretary of the puja committee; Santanu Dubey, its vice-president; and Biplab Mukherjee, alias Joy, who was involved in constructing a bamboo structure at the venue.
The other accused are Koushik Saha, who was involved in crowd management and checking VIP passes; Pintu Dey, who was engaged in crowd management; and Suman Chakraborty and Rajesh Pal, who worked as private security in-charges.
Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, has also been imposed in parts of Kolkata from October 18 to 20 to prevent possible disturbances.
CM points to rain and broken rope barrier
Explaining the possible sequence of events, Adhikari said rain and inadequate arrangements at the pandal may have contributed to the crowd surge.
"It started raining, and the rope was released. There were no proper two-lane arrangements there. A temporary passage had been created using ropes, forming a chain. That chain broke, and everyone got mixed up," he said.
The Chief Minister said civic volunteers working at the venue had been recruited in 2024-25 and were selected from an existing list. He said the government had sought the list for scrutiny and cautioned against blaming the volunteers before the facts were examined.
Adhikari said the incident had prompted a review of safety arrangements, including precautions for the immersion process and crowd management along riverbanks.
"The lapses have been reviewed," he said, adding that the government had a responsibility to protect people during the festival, which draws large crowds across the state.
He also said he was monitoring the situation with the Chief Secretary, Commissioner of Police, Home Secretary and Director General of Police (DGP). Governor RN Ravi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah also visited injured people receiving treatment at an Apollo hospital in Kolkata.
Death toll reaches 19; bodies handed over to families
The stampede took place on Saturday evening at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata, where a large crowd had gathered to see the idols. Chaos broke out after a portion of the exit gate structure collapsed, leading to a rush of devotees.
The injured were taken to Calcutta Medical College and Hospital and two other state hospitals. Around 17 people were initially declared dead at Calcutta Medical College and Hospital, while 25 injured people were admitted for treatment. The death toll subsequently rose to 19.
The bodies of those killed were handed over to their families on Sunday. Among the victims was a 27-year-old nurse from Hooghly, who had visited the pandal with a friend after completing her duty.
"After doing her duty, she went to watch the puja (worship/festival) with her friend," a relative told ANI.
Adhikari said 18 of the 19 deceased were residents of West Bengal, while one was from Bihar. He said two injured people remained in intensive care, with the others considered fit for discharge after treatment.
Compensation announced for victims' families
The West Bengal government has announced compensation of Rs 25 lakh and a job for the family of each deceased person. Adhikari said the families of those killed would receive compensation cheques during his visits on October 20 and 21.
He also announced that the government would pay tribute to the 19 victims at the Bijaya Sammilani event on October 26. Families of the 25 injured people would receive cheques of Rs 5 lakh each at the event.
The Chief Minister said the government was focused on supporting the affected families and ensuring that the circumstances leading to the stampede were thoroughly investigated.