Ramachander Rao Demands Thorough Probe into Kolkata Durga Puja Stampede

Telangana BJP president N. Ramachander Rao has demanded a comprehensive investigation into the stampede at a Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata, West Bengal, which claimed 19 lives and left 25 people injured. He called for those responsible to be identified and strict action taken against anyone found guilty of negligence.

Speaking to the media on Sunday, Rao described the incident as deeply tragic and expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased devotees. He said a thorough investigation was necessary to establish the circumstances that led to the stampede and determine accountability.

Rao expressed hope that the state government would conduct a detailed inquiry and take appropriate action against those responsible. Referring to the concerns expressed by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, he stressed that identifying the individuals accountable for the tragedy was essential to ensuring justice.

Seven arrested in connection with the incident

The stampede occurred when a large number of devotees gathered at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata. The injured were shifted to hospitals for treatment, and police launched an investigation into the incident.

Police have arrested seven people, including puja committee secretary Rajkumar Sewda, alias Raja, and vice-president Shantanu Dube. The other accused include bamboo-structure contractor Biplab Mukherjee; crowd-management and VIP-pass checking personnel Kaushik Saha and Pintu De; and private security personnel Suman Chakraborty and Rajesh Pal.

A suo motu case has been registered under Sections 105, 110 and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Another 14 people have been taken into custody for questioning. A Special Task Force (STF) is conducting the investigation to establish responsibility for the tragedy.

The West Bengal government has announced Rs. 25 lakh compensation for each deceased person's family, along with a government job for one eligible family member.

Meanwhile, restrictions under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) were imposed in parts of Kolkata from October 18 to 20. The restrictions prohibit gatherings of five or more people and impose curbs on carrying weapons to maintain law and order.