States » EastPosted at: Oct 26 2026 11:34PM


SIT to begin evidence collection on October 31 in Chorbagan stampede case

Kolkata, Oct 26 (UNI) The first meeting of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted to probe the Chorbagan Durga Puja stampede took place on Monday.
After a two-hour meeting at Writers' Building, the head of the inquiry committee, retired Calcutta High Court Justice Anindita Roy Saraswati, announced that evidence collection would begin on Saturday, October 31.
Several office-bearers of the Chorbagan Puja Committee were summoned to the meeting, which was also attended by senior Kolkata Police officials. According to sources, discussions centred on the possible causes of the incident and the width of the entry points provided for visitors at the pandal.
On the evening of Saptami, October 17, 19 people died in a stampede at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja site. The exact cause of the tragedy and responsibility for any alleged negligence remain unclear.
The Kolkata Police have already formed an SIT to investigate the incident, while the state government initiated the formation of a separate commission of inquiry.
The state government had requested that the committee be headed by a sitting High Court judge. Accordingly, Chief Secretary Manoj Agarwal wrote to Calcutta High Court Chief Justice Rabindranath V Ghuge, who suggested that a retired judge head the committee instead.
The state administration subsequently issued a formal notification announcing the formation of the inquiry committee.
The committee's primary mandate is to establish the cause of the tragedy. The investigation will examine when, where and how crowd pressure built up and whether the number of visitors exceeded the pandal's capacity. It will also look into whether an announcement about the pandal collapsing or the onset of rain contributed to the incident.
The committee is expected to recommend measures to prevent similar incidents in the future. Its final report is to be submitted within three months. However, Justice Roy Saraswati did not disclose specific details about the progress of the inquiry during Monday's briefing.
Meanwhile, the Kolkata Police have summoned the pandal's theme artist, Sushanta Shibani Pal, to provide details about its design, construction methods and any possible structural flaws. He has been asked to appear by Wednesday. Three eyewitnesses who were present at the site during the incident have also been summoned for questioning.
Investigators are seeking to establish whether the pandal's construction adhered to prescribed safety standards and whether any design or structural defects contributed to the tragedy. The artist's statement is expected to form part of the inquiry, although any shortcomings in the design or construction will have to be established through the investigation.
Nine people have been arrested in connection with the incident, including two announcers, Sanjib Raha, alias Sentu, and Kushal Majumdar. They are accused of making misleading announcements over the public address system during the crisis.
It is alleged that an announcement claiming the pandal was collapsing triggered panic among visitors. Majumdar has claimed that he made the announcement on the evening of Saptami at the instruction of a police officer, but could not identify the officer. The police SIT will examine the veracity and context of his statement.
Investigators are seeking to piece together the sequence of events by examining eyewitness accounts alongside other evidence. The inquiry will focus on determining the root cause of the tragedy and establishing accountability.
A portion of the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal reportedly collapsed amid sudden rain and a heavy influx of visitors on October 17, triggering a chaotic rush that resulted in the stampede. The tragedy during the festive season sparked widespread grief and concern across Kolkata and West Bengal. UNI BGA NST CDS
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