Stampede at Kolkata Pandal: Judge-Led Panel Gets Three Months

A judicial panel constituted by the West Bengal government will investigate the stampede at a Kolkata Durga Puja pandal that killed 19 people on October 17. The panel has been given three months to submit its report, and its recommendations are likely to influence safety protocols for large pandals starting next year.

The inquiry will focus on crowd management and safety infrastructure at the venue. A state source said the committee will assess the limits on the number of people allowed, the routes for entry and exit, the installation of CCTV cameras, and the emergency evacuation setup.

A state official noted that the panel's findings on the negligence at the Chorbagan Sarvajanin pandal will be studied in depth. Precautionary measures for big pandals next year will be framed on the basis of those conclusions.

The panel will gather evidence from several sources. These include CCTV footage, video clips recorded on mobile phones, and medical reports of the dead and injured. Statements from eyewitnesses may also be recorded to help piece together the chain of events.

Retired justice Anindita Roy Saraswati, who chairs the committee, told the media on Thursday that the panel had been asked to deliver its report to the state government within three months. She conceded that the deadline posed a real challenge but said the committee would work hard to submit the report on time.

According to Justice Saraswati, the inquiry aims to identify those accountable and to understand why such a large number of people died. Directions will be issued to Durga Puja committees based on the findings, with the goal of preventing similar tragedies.

The state had initially sought to appoint a sitting Calcutta High Court judge to lead the inquiry, a move backed by Suvendu Adhikari. A request was sent from the Chief Secretary's office to Calcutta High Court Chief Justice Ravindra Vitthalrao Ghuge. On Tuesday, however, the Chief Justice informed the state that under an older Supreme Court order, a serving judge cannot be named to head such a commission, which led to the formation of the present panel.