Amit Shah Meets Injured Victims At Hospital In Kolkata, TMC Blames Administrative Crises

Union Home Minister Amit Shah and West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari visited injured victims at Apollo Hospital on Sunday after at least 19 people were killed and 25 others injured in a stampede at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata on Saturday evening.

Amit Shah, Suvendu Adhikari Meet Injured Victims

Shah, who came to West Bengal Saturday evening for a two-day visit, met with the injured persons along with Adhikari at Apollo Hospital on Sunday.

The stampede took place around 7.30 pm when there was a huge gathering of devotees at the pandal for Durga Puja celebration. The initial reports indicated that the rain caused people outside to proceed and take cover, resulting in a rush of people.

Adhikari said 19 people had died, including 17 who reportedly died at the scene. He added that 25 people were injured, with most out of danger and one person in critical condition.

The injured were taken to hospitals for treatment, while authorities began contacting the families of those who died.

Seven Arrested In Stampede Case

Police have arrested seven people in connection with the incident. Those arrested include:

- Raj Kumar Sewda: Secretary of the puja committee.

- Santanu Dubey: Vice-president of the committee.

- Biplab Mukherjee: Involved in constructing the bamboo structure.

- Koushik Saha: Responsible for crowd control and checking VIP passes.

- Pintu Dey: Involved in crowd management.

- Suman Chakraborty: Associated with a private security agency.

- Rajesh Pal: In charge of private security at the pandal.

Police had earlier detained several people for questioning, including organisers, volunteers and security personnel. A case has been registered under Sections 105 and 110 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Investigators are examining the arrangements at the venue, including crowd movement, security deployment and announcements made over loudspeakers. Eyewitnesses have alleged that unclear instructions about entry and exit routes left visitors confused during peak hours.

TMC Blames ‘Maladministration’, Questions Police Presence

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) accused the administration of failing to ensure adequate crowd management and security at the pandal.

TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee described the incident as a case of “complete maladministration”, citing inadequate lighting, the venue’s structure and the construction of an elevated corridor that may have restricted the space available to visitors.

He also questioned why police had permitted the arrangements and alleged that the venue lacked sufficient police presence.

TMC MLA Kunal Ghosh called the incident a “complete failure of the administration” and said the organising committee must take responsibility. He also urged authorities to complete post-mortem examinations promptly and ensure that families of the deceased faced no difficulties during the process.

In a post on social media, the party alleged that police personnel, civic volunteers, ambulances and effective crowd-control arrangements were missing from the venue. These claims have yet to be established by the investigation.

Congress, BJP Demand Thorough Investigation

Congress leader Suman Roy Chaudhuri criticised the state administration, alleging that the police were being used to intimidate political opponents instead of ensuring public safety during a major festival.

He said the organisers may also have been at fault but argued that the police should have exercised greater control over crowd management.

Meanwhile, Telangana BJP president N Ramchander Rao described the stampede as a major tragedy and called for a thorough investigation to identify those responsible and ensure appropriate action.

The incident has also triggered a political dispute over the composition of the puja committee. TMC alleged that a BJP MLA chairs the committee and questioned who should be held accountable. The party further claimed that the previous committee had been replaced after the BJP won the West Bengal elections and that members of the earlier committee were forced to resign.

These political allegations are separate from the ongoing police investigation into the immediate causes of the stampede.

Restrictions Imposed In Parts Of Kolkata

Following the tragedy, Kolkata Police imposed restrictions under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) for three days, from October 18 to 20, in parts of the city under Bowbazar police station.

The order covers an area bounded by College Street, CR Avenue, Collotola Street and Eden Hospital Road. It prohibits unlawful gatherings of five or more people, carrying dangerous weapons and activities likely to disturb public peace.

The Chorbagan pandal was closed after the incident. Some other pandals experiencing heavy footfall, including Chetla Agrani and Tala Prottay, were also temporarily shut, according to police.

Compensation Announced For Victims’ Families

The West Bengal government has announced compensation of ₹25 lakh and a government job for a family member of each deceased victim. The government will also provide ₹5 lakh to each injured person and cover their medical treatment expenses.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced to give ex-gratia payment of ₹2 lakh from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund to the next of kin of each victim who lost their lives. Those injured will receive ₹50,000.

Authorities have vowed to be open-minded in the investigation to get to the bottom of the tragedy and identify responsible parties.

The investigation will centre on the sudden movement of the crowd, the effect of the torrential rain, the design of the stadium and if the necessary safety and emergency measures were in place.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Susmita Modak

[email protected]

Always love to raise the unraised matter. In a world of worries, I am always ready to come over my comfort zone and taking the step ahead of spreading awareness.

Read More