The investigation into the Chorbagan stampede will exclude representatives of Kolkata Police, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation and the fire department, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said after an emergency meeting at Bhaban Bhavan. The decision, according to a report by Sangbad Pratidin, is intended to ensure an independent inquiry into the incident.
Adhikari said he would visit the homes of those who died in the Chorbagan disaster during Navami and Dashami, on October 20 and 21. He said he would meet families wherever possible without causing inconvenience to visitors during the Puja period. Helicopters will be used to travel to distant districts, while road transport will be used for nearby locations, the report said.
The chief minister also said that 25 people had been rescued during the incident. The bodies of those who died are being handed over to their families after post-mortem examinations, with officers of magistrate rank assigned to oversee the process, according to the report.
The proposed Special Investigation Team will be led by a judge of the Calcutta High Court, according to the chief minister’s statement cited by Sangbad Pratidin. Adhikari said he would write to the Chief Justice of the High Court requesting that the investigation be headed by a serving judge. If the Chief Justice does not agree, a retired judge would be considered for the role.
The report said representatives of the National Disaster Response Force could also be included in the investigation team. The exclusion of the police, civic body and fire department was described by the chief minister as a step intended to keep the inquiry impartial. The report did not provide further details on the proposed team’s mandate, membership or completion timeline.
The emergency meeting was attended by the state chief secretary, the police commissioner, the superintendent of police and senior police officials. The meeting focused on the response to the Chorbagan stampede and the arrangements for the investigation and transfer of victims’ bodies to their families.
The incident has placed crowd safety and the role of multiple agencies in managing large public gatherings at the centre of the state’s immediate response. The proposed inquiry is expected to examine the circumstances of the stampede, the rescue operation and the responsibilities of the agencies involved. The next formal step will be the chief minister’s communication to the Chief Justice regarding the proposed leadership of the investigation.
