Seven arrested after deadly stampede at Kolkata Durga Puja pandal

Seven people, including key members of the Chorbagan Durga Puja organising committee, have been taken into custody by Kolkata Police in connection with a stampede that occurred at the pandal during the festival celebrations. The incident resulted in fatalities and left several others injured, triggering an immediate police investigation into the circumstances that led to the tragedy.

Kolkata Police have registered a suo motu case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, establishing a formal investigation framework to determine responsibility for the incident. The registration of charges without a formal complaint indicates the severity with which authorities are treating the matter and their commitment to a thorough probe.

The arrests focus on the pandal organisers' role in managing crowd control and safety measures during the event. Preliminary investigations suggest lapses in crowd management and safety protocols may have contributed to the stampede, though a detailed inquiry is underway to establish the exact sequence of events that led to the tragedy.

Durga Puja, one of the most significant festivals in West Bengal, draws massive crowds to pandals across Kolkata each year. The incident has renewed focus on safety and crowd management procedures at major festival venues, with authorities examining whether adequate precautions were in place at the time of the stampede.