Kolkata stampede probe: SIT gets 3 months to uncover cause of tragedy

NEW DELHI: The West Bengal government, in consultation with the Calcutta High Court, has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the October 17 stampede at the Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata that claimed 19 lives and left 25 people injured. The SIT will investigate the circumstances leading to the incident and recommend measures to prevent similar tragedies.

According to an official government notification, the panel must submit its final report to the state government within three months of the order. The committee will be chaired by retired Justice Anindita Roy Saraswati.

Its members include the Principal Secretary of the Disaster Management and Civil Defence Department, the Director General and Inspector General of Police of the Special Task Force (STF), a police representative of at least Additional Director General rank, a Home and Hill Affairs Department representative of at least Joint Secretary rank, and a representative of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) based in Kolkata. Preliminary findings indicate that the victims sustained multiple traumatic injuries as the crowd surged towards the pandal’s exit during evening rain.

The deceased included 13 women and six minors. The youngest victim was seven-year-old Aayansh Srivastava, who had travelled from Bihar with his family.

The victims came from Kolkata, neighbouring districts and other parts of West Bengal. Among them were 14-year-old Sandip Bej from Purba Bardhaman, 13-year-old Pranjal Sarkar from Agarpara, and teenagers Priya Samaddar, 18, from New Barrackpore, Akriti Kumari, 17, from Bally, and Barnali Haldar, 17, and Tania Biswas, 18, from New Town.

Meanwhile, the Kolkata Fire Department has placed five Durga Puja pandals in South Kolkata under special scrutiny following the tragedy. The department has issued written instructions to the committees of Chetla, Tridhara, Deshapriya Park and Tollygunge Cultural, directing them to pay particular attention to entry and exit routes and implement additional fire safety measures.

The state government has announced compensation of Rs 25 lakh and a job for the family of each deceased victim. The Special Task Force has also begun an investigation to establish accountability for the incident.

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, along with the Chief Secretary, Home Secretary, Director General of Police and Commissioner of Police, is closely monitoring the situation. Hospitals have begun discharging injured survivors in phases.

Fourteen patients were shifted to a private hospital off EM Bypass after initially receiving treatment at Medical College and Hospital and RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.