Visuals captured moments before a deadly Durga Puja stampede in North Kolkata have come under scrutiny as police and a special task force investigate the incident that claimed 19 lives. The tragedy unfolded between 7:15 PM and 7:30 PM at a puja pandal located in the narrow lanes of Chorbagan.
Preliminary details indicate that sudden heavy rainfall prompted hundreds of devotees to rush inside the pandal for shelter, while visitors already inside were reluctant to exit into the rain. The resulting congestion, compounded by narrow entry and exit points, darkness, and alleged lapses in crowd control by local home guards, triggered severe panic and chaos.
Investigators are currently examining photographs, videos, and social media reels recorded by visitors inside the pandal to reconstruct the exact sequence of events, verify crowd management protocols, and determine accountability for the fatal disaster.
The tragic pandal accident and subsequent stampede has also resulted in a massive political confrontation. The Trinamool Congress has targeted the administration over crowd management, security lapses, and an inadequate emergency response, alleging a severe shortage of ambulances and police personnel on site.
Trinamool Congress leaders questioned accountability and demanded arrests following the incident. Meanwhile, opposition figures demanded the resignation or dismissal of top security officials, accusing the puja committee of being compromised and raising concerns about the ongoing investigation into the fatal disaster.