Kolkata Durga Puja stampede: Eyewitnesses flag lapses, police probe begins

Kolkata Police are investigating whether lapses in crowd management, confusion over entry and exit routes and heavy rain contributed to the stampede at Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal that left 19 people dead on Saturday evening, a senior officer said.

Several eyewitnesses alleged that announcements about entry, exit and crowd movement were inadequate, leaving visitors confused during the rush hours.

Locals also claimed that police deployment at the pandal was inadequate, alleging that personnel were mainly stationed near the VIP entrance.

"I have not seen adequate police presence this year.

This resulted in the mismanagement," Sanghamitra Bhowmik, a resident of the Chorbagan area, said.

Locals also alleged that there was little administrative assistance in taking the injured to hospitals.

"There must be some lapses, but these should be probed.

Whether lapses were on the part of the organisers or they had flouted the rules to erect the pandal will be checked," the police officer told