Kolkata Police on Friday, October 23, arrested Babu Majumdar, alias Kalia, the second person accused of making the misleading announcement that triggered panic and a deadly stampede at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal in North Kolkata on the night of October 17, the news agency IANS reported.
Source: IANS via BizzBuzz
Majumdar's arrest came a day after police detained and then arrested the prime accused, Sanjib Raha, alias Sentu, the treasurer of the Chorbagan Sarbojanin organising committee. Police said Raha told interrogators that Majumdar was with him when the announcement was made from a room outside the pandal that was reserved for organising committee members and special guests. Majumdar is a neighbour of Raha in North Kolkata, and police said both men had been absconding since the night of the tragedy.
Source: IANS via BizzBuzz
A city police officer said investigators suspect the misleading announcement may have been made following instructions from someone else. That is a police suspicion at this stage, not an established finding, and no further details about any suspected third party have been officially disclosed. The officer said the misleading announcement was, in the police assessment, the crucial factor that triggered the panic: rain had already caused chaos at the pandal, with devotees outside pressing to get in and those inside unwilling to step out, when the announcement urged people to evacuate immediately for fear the structure was collapsing.
Source: Nation Press
What is solid
- Kolkata Police arrested Babu Majumdar, alias Kalia, on Friday, October 23, as the second accused in the Chorbagan announcement case (IANS).
- Prime accused Sanjib Raha, alias Sentu, treasurer of the organising committee, was arrested on Thursday, October 22 (IANS).
- The stampede at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin pandal on the night of October 17 killed 19 people (IANS reporting).
- Police say both accused had been absconding since October 17, and the announcement was made from a room reserved for committee members and special guests (IANS).
What is only claimed
- Police suspect the announcement may have been made on a third party's instructions; this is an investigative suspicion, not an established fact, and no suspected third party has been officially named.
- The roles alleged against both accused remain allegations in an ongoing investigation; the case has not been decided by a court.
Two parallel inquiries into the tragedy are already under way: a Special Investigation Team of Kolkata Police, headed by an assistant commissioner-rank officer from the detective department, is conducting the criminal investigation, while a judicial probe panel constituted by the state government and chaired by retired Justice Anindita Roy Saraswati is expected to report within three months.
Source: IANS via hi INDiA
Police said Raha's interrogation has been continuing since Thursday afternoon and Majumdar will now be questioned as well. If necessary, both accused will be interrogated together so that investigators can test their accounts against each other and establish whether anyone directed them to make the announcement.
Source: IANS via BizzBuzz