West Bengal Appoints Retired Judge to Lead Probe into Durga Puja Pandal Stampede

The West Bengal government issued an order on Wednesday to set up a six-member Special Investigation Team to probe the stampede at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja Pandal. The tragedy claimed 19 lives on October 17, with most of the deceased being women and children.

Investigation Details

Retired Justice Anindita Roy Saraswati will head the SIT, which also includes state government officials and a representative from the National Disaster Response Force. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari initially stated that a sitting judge of the Calcutta High Court would lead the probe. However, a Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Ravindra V. Ghuge ruled out appointing a sitting judge due to a Supreme Court directive. The SIT must submit its findings and recommendations to the state government within three months.

Scope and Arrests

The panel will examine how the crowd surge started, check weather conditions, and inspect the adequacy of barricades, emergency exits, and structural arrangements at the pandal. It will also look into whether proper permissions and disaster-management plans were in place. Seven people, including the pandal organizers, have been arrested so far. Questions have been raised regarding the role of Kolkata Police in crowd management, and no police member is included in the SIT. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari met families of the victims in New Barrackpore and New Town, handing over compensation cheques of ₹25 lakh to the next of kin. Trinamool Congress spokesperson Kunal Ghosh criticized the probe, claiming that poor home guards and private security are being made scapegoats while BJP leaders in charge remain unarrested.

Context

Durga Puja pandals in West Bengal draw massive crowds every year, requiring strict coordination between event organizers and local police forces to prevent overcrowding. Judicial and special investigation teams are often appointed by state governments following major public tragedies to independently review safety lapses and fix accountability.