Rain, mismanagement, crowd, what led to Kolkata puja pandal stampede?

Seven arrests have been made in Kolkata's Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal stampede that killed at least 19 people and injured 25 others on Saturday evening. The puja committee secretary, vice-president and a person involved in constructing the bamboo structure are among the people arrested in the case as investigation continues to know the exact cause of the tragedy.

However, initial findings point to a host of issues like sudden rush of people, heavy rain and alleged confusion over announcements and entry-exit routes.

At around 7:15 pm, just before the stampede happened it began to rain and the large crowd waiting along the narrow Radha Madhab Saha Lane to enter the pandal surged forward. And as people began to jostle with each other, several devotees fell down near the exit and were trampled by those behind them.

“Today at around 7:40 pm, a stampede occurred at the exit gate of Sarada Park (Chor Bagan) Puja Pandal, under Girish Park Police Station, due to heavy crowds of pandal hoppers amid rainfall. The Puja Pandal has now been closed to visitors. All injured persons were rescued and shifted to MCH for treatment," Kolkata police said in a statement soon after the incident.

A misleading announcement by the puja committee is also suspected to have caused the confusion leading to the stampede.

“Initial input from the ACP who was present at the spot suggests that the incident was triggered by an announcement made by a private security agency and the blowing of whistles,” said Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari.

Wrong announcement behind stampede?

While a complaint filed at the Girish Park police station by a sub-inspector says that an announcement by the organisers that the pandal’s condition had deteriorated amid rain and it could collapse at any moment led to the stampede, reported news18.

The complaint also points towards inadequate crowd management at the entry and exit gates for the tragedy.

The pandal has been sealed, with forensic teams, the Special Task Force and the fire brigade examine the site.