Kolkata puja pandal stampede: 7 arrested, section 163 restrictions imposed in north Kolkata

Seven people have been arrested in connection with the stampede at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata that killed at least 19 people and injured 25 others on Saturday evening.

Those arrested include the puja committee’s secretary and vice-president, a person involved in constructing the bamboo structure, two people assigned to crowd control and VIP-pass checking, and two private security personnel.

According to the police list, the accused are:

Raj Kumar Sewda alias Raja, 48 — secretary of the puja committee.

Santanu Dubey, 55— vice-president of the committee.

Biplab Mukherjee alias Joy, 48 — involved in constructing the bamboo structure.

Koushik Saha, 53— responsible for crowd control and checking VIP passes.

Pintu Dey, 51 — involved in crowd control.

Suman Chakraborty, 30— private security in-charge.

Rajesh Pal, 29 — private security in-charge.

The arrests come as investigators examine possible lapses in crowd management, the arrangement of entry and exit routes, and the circumstances that led to the surge of people at the pandal.

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari had blamed the organisers for the tragedy and said the incident would be investigated. The pandal has been sealed, with forensic teams, the Special Task Force and the fire brigade examining the site.

Section 163 restrictions for three days

Separately, Kolkata Police have imposed prohibitory restrictions under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, in an area around Chorbagan following the stampede.

The order, issued on the directions of Kolkata Police Commissioner Ajay Nand, will remain in force from October 18 to October 20, 2026, or until further orders.

The restrictions cover the area under Burrabazar police station bounded by:

East: College Street, from Colootola Street to Eden Hospital Road.

West: C.R. Avenue, from Colootola Street to Eden Hospital Road.

North: Colootola Street, from College Street to C.R. Avenue.

South: Eden Hospital Road, up to C.R. Avenue.

Under the order, assemblies of five or more people are prohibited within the specified area. Carrying lathis, sharp weapons or other dangerous weapons is also barred.

Processions, meetings, rallies, dharnas and demonstrations have been prohibited, along with activities that could disturb public peace and order.

The restrictions have been imposed in the stated interest of maintaining law and order after the deadly stampede.

Police are continuing their investigation into the incident, which took place at around 7.40 pm on Saturday amid heavy crowds and rain. The final findings are expected to establish the sequence of events and determine responsibility for any safety lapses.