KOLKATA, October 21 (Aalimi Nation) – The West Bengal government on Wednesday set up a six-member Special Investigation Team, headed by a retired High Court judge, to examine the Chorbagan stampede in Kolkata, directing it to submit its findings within three months.
Chief Secretary Manoj Agarwal issued the order after consulting the Calcutta High Court. Retired judge Anindita Roy Saraswati will chair the team. Officials said the stampede took place on October 17 at the Chorbagan community Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata, and that 19 people died. One account put the number of injured at 25.
Besides the chairperson, the team includes the Principal Secretary of the Disaster Management and Civil Defence Department and the Director General and Inspector General of Police of the Special Task Force. A police representative of at least Additional Director General rank, a representative of the Home and Hill Affairs Department not below the rank of Joint Secretary, and an officer of the National Disaster Response Force based in Kolkata complete the panel.
The order states that the team "shall submit its report, together with its findings and recommendations." It is expected to establish the sequence of events that led to the tragedy and to suggest measures that could prevent a repeat at crowded festival venues.
The terms of reference, as described by officials, cover crowd management, entry and exit arrangements, weather conditions, CCTV footage and any administrative lapses. Possible factors include overcrowding, gate management, rumours in the crowd and the arrangements outside the pandal. One account linked the surge to heavy rain and a large gathering outside the venue, but no official cause has been announced.
The Special Task Force has separately begun its own investigation to fix responsibility for the incident. Kolkata Police have also taken action against people linked to the organising committee and the pandal's security arrangements, according to reports, although the number of arrests and the exact charges have been described differently and remain unconfirmed.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has said the government would ensure a thorough probe and accountability, and he is monitoring the situation with senior officials.
The Kolkata Fire Department has meanwhile placed several pandals in the south of the city under special watch, among them Chetla, Tridhara, Deshapriya Park and Tollygunge Cultural. Their organisers have been asked in writing to review entry and exit routes and add fire safety measures while the festival season continues.
Durga Puja pandals in Kolkata draw very large crowds through the evenings, and crowd control at narrow lanes and gates is a recurring concern for the police and organisers.
The SIT's three-month deadline means its report would be due in January 2027. Until then, officials have urged people to follow police instructions at pandals, avoid crowding at entry points and use designated exits.
