Shillong: Grief haunts Bengal following the Saturday night stampede at the Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal. Families collected 19 bodies from state-run hospitals, including a seven-year-old child. Police arrested seven people, including the Chorbagan Puja committee's general secretary and vice-president. Authorities registered a case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari held a high-level meeting at the CID headquarters to address the disaster. He ordered an immediate safety review. The government banned separate VIP gates and launched an investigation into the home guards on duty. Nine experienced IPS officers now oversee crowd control citywide. The Chief Minister declared, "The administration’s priority remained relief and assistance to victims and their families."
A special inspection team led by Rajesh Kumar Singh, Anuj Sharma, and Javed Shamim began auditing major pandals on Sunday. They started at Santosh Mitra Square. Officials issued strict new rules. Food stalls cannot sit near entry or exit points. Exits must be wider and better lit. The team holds the power to limit visitor numbers instantly.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited 14 of the 25 injured survivors at a private hospital. Two patients remain in intensive care, while 23 are stable. Medical staff finished post-mortems at Calcutta National Medical College and NRS Medical College. Magistrates and DSP-rank officers are now assisting the victims' families with funeral arrangements.
The tragedy sparked political fighting. The Mamata Banerjee faction of the TMC claimed administrative failure and alleged the Chief Minister’s nephew held ties to the committee. The Chief Minister will deliver compensation to families on October 20 and 21. A subdued Bijoya Sammilani follows on October 26 to discuss safety reforms.
Comments