The West Bengal government has announced financial assistance of 2.5 million rupees for the family of each person killed in a tragic stampede at a Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata, India. Additionally, it has been announced that one member of each victim's family will be given a government job. Each person injured in the incident will receive financial assistance of 500,000 rupees. The devastating stampede occurred on Saturday evening, October 17, at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata. According to the latest reports, the death toll has risen to 19, and at least 25 people have been injured.
According to Kolkata Police, the accident happened at around 7:40 PM local time near the exit route of the puja pandal in the Girish Park police station area. Amid rain, a massive gathering of visitors and excessive pressure at the entry and exit points caused the situation to go out of control. At one point, a rush began, causing many people to fall to the ground. Casualties occurred as others trampled over them.
The victims include women and children. The injured were rescued and taken to the Kolkata Medical College and Hospital. Police, fire service personnel, disaster response teams, and medical workers participated in the rescue operations. Entry of visitors to the concerned puja pandal was barred following the accident.
To investigate the cause of the incident, the state government has formed a special investigation team (SIT). The security arrangements at the puja pandal, the role of the organizers in crowd control, and the actions of the personnel on duty at the time of the accident are being examined. Police have arrested seven people in connection with the incident, including puja committee officials and security personnel. CCTV footage from the scene has also been collected for the sake of the investigation.
It is initially suspected that the pressure of the excessive crowd amid the rain and panic spreading around an announcement made the situation more complex. However, the exact cause of the accident and whether there was any negligence will be confirmed after the investigation is completed.
Meanwhile, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also announced financial assistance of 200,000 rupees for the relatives of the deceased and 50,000 rupees for the injured. Such loss of life during the festival has created an atmosphere of mourning across Kolkata. At the same time, demands have been raised to control public gatherings and strengthen security arrangements at large religious events.
