Kolkata: Chorbagan Stampede Panel Questions 13 Officials, Turns Lens on 'Pandal Collapsing' Announcement and Dead CCTV Cameras

In a new step in the probe into the October 17 stampede that killed 19 people — a tragedy this site has followed since the panel was formed — the retired judge-led panel on Saturday questioned 13 people, including Girish Park police and fire personnel on duty that night.

Awaaz Punjab Investigations Desk31 October 20263 min readRead in all 3 languages

The six-member panel headed by retired Calcutta High Court judge Anindita Roy Saraswati questioned 13 people on Saturday, including police personnel deployed at the Chorbagan Sarbojonin Durga Puja pandal, as it examined crowd control, emergency preparedness and the announcements made before the October 17 stampede in north Kolkata, UrbanAcres reported.

Source: UrbanAcres

"We questioned 13 people today, particularly police personnel from Girish Park police station who were on duty during the tragedy. We also spoke to some fire service personnel," Saraswati said after the panel's second meeting, held at Writers' Building.

Nineteen people were killed and at least 25 injured in the stampede at the pandal on October 17. The panel visited the site on October 22, where it collected evidence through photography, videography, forensic examination and 3D scanning. NationPress had reported that the panel would formally begin its evidence-collection exercise from October 31.

Source: NationPress

A key focus is an announcement made shortly before the stampede stating that the pandal was collapsing. The panel is examining who instructed the announcer to make the announcement and the circumstances in which it was made. Sanjeev Raha, also known as Sentu, the arrested treasurer of the puja committee, was brought to the site and questioned.

The panel is also examining lighting inside the pandal, the availability and arrangement of entry and exit routes, crowd-control measures and possible structural defects. Kolkata Police found that nearly half of the CCTV cameras at the venue were not working during the incident, including a camera installed near the exit gate.

19people killed on Oct 17

25+injured

13people questioned on Saturday

3 monthspanel's report deadline

Saraswati said the panel will next summon eyewitnesses and local residents, and could also question Sushanta Shibani Pal, the artist who designed the Chorbagan Sarbojonin Durga Puja pandal, if required. Separately, Kolkata Police have questioned the pandal designer and 12 police personnel deployed at the venue.

The state government has also formed a separate Special Investigation Team comprising Kolkata Police personnel to investigate the stampede. The retired judge-led panel has been asked to submit its report within three months.

Sources