Kolkata saw chaos as residents reported panic and a lack of crowd control, culminating in a tragic stampede
That caused the stampede,” said Ramji Sau, a resident. Adhikari said temporary home guards managing ropes separating entry and exit routes abandoned their posts when rain began. West Bengal Congress president Subhankar Sarkar and Trinamool MLA Kunal Ghosh called the arrests an “eyewash”, while CPM demanded that those who had prioritised control of the puja committee over visitor safety be brought to justice. The Ritabrata Banerjee faction of Trinamool echoed the appeal, saying: “Puja isn’t the time for politics.”
KOLKATA: Residents described panic and inadequate crowd control. “People panicked when organisers started announcing that the pandal might cave in. Beauty Naskar alleged there was hardly any police or volunteers controlling the crowd, with some young volunteers busy on their phones. He directed police across Bengal to inspect major pandals, restrict entry where necessary and enforce safety measures. The tragedy brought Trinamool, CPM and Congress together at Girish Park police station, where they demanded accountability and questioned why senior organisers and officials responsible for lapses had not been arrested. The opposition threatened larger protests after the festival. BJP Bengal president Samik Bhattacharya appealed against political recriminations, saying the priority should be supporting bereaved families and bringing those responsible to justice.
Referring to past disasters, he asked: “Have you ever seen a chief minister spending the entire night at a hospital?” he added. Some said they reconsidered plans after family members urged them to avoid crowded venues. Adhikari defended his govt’s response and accused previous administrations of withholding inquiry commission reports.
On Sunday, queues continued at popular pandals, including Md Ali Park and College Square.