KOLKATA:
Kolkata Police are searching for a person who allegedly spread a rumour that part of a Durga Puja pandal was collapsing, triggering panic that led to a stampede in which 19 people were killed and 25 injured, a senior police officer said on Tuesday.
The incident occurred at the Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata on Saturday evening. According to investigators, an announcement that a section of the structure was about to collapse appears to have caused visitors to panic and rush towards the exits. Police said they had found no evidence to support the claim that any part of the pandal was structurally unstable. The circumstances surrounding the announcement, including who made it and why, are now central to the investigation. Authorities are examining CCTV footage to reconstruct the sequence of events and identify the person responsible.
Thirty surveillance cameras had been installed across the premises, with footage from 13 cameras covering the area where the stampede occurred. A preliminary examination indicated that rain had caused congestion near an exit, while the entry point remained open despite the large crowd inside the pandal. Investigators are examining whether the flow of visitors was adequately regulated and why entry continued when the exit area was congested. The probe is expected to focus on crowd management, emergency arrangements and the response to the rumour. The tragedy has renewed concerns over public safety at large religious gatherings, particularly during festivals that attract thousands of visitors to confined spaces.