Kolkata, Oct 19: Severe suffocation and multiple internal injuries caused the deaths of 19 people in a stampede at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata on October 17, according to autopsy findings cited by sources familiar with the reports. In six cases, the force of the crowd reportedly crushed the victims’ ribs, which then punctured their lungs.
The findings indicate the physical impact of the crowd surge, with victims trapped beneath people rushing to leave the pandal. Sources said suffocation was the primary cause of death, while injuries sustained as the crowd pushed through also proved fatal in some cases.
Following the tragedy, medical teams comprising doctors from various medical colleges and hospitals in Kolkata have been deployed at community Durga Puja pandals that traditionally draw large evening crowds. The teams began their duties on Sunday evening and will remain stationed at the venues from 5 pm until 6 am the following day, continuing until the idols are immersed.
The deployment has drawn criticism from some medical practitioners, who questioned whether placing doctors at pandals would adequately address the risk of another crowd disaster. One city-based practitioner, speaking anonymously, argued that the administration should prioritise effective crowd management, particularly by the police, to prevent conditions that could lead to another stampede.
The administration has also stopped big-budget community Durga Puja organisers from issuing VIP passes. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has directed the city police not to allow vehicles carrying VIPs to reach the entrances of the pandals.
In a further response to the tragedy, Adhikari has decided to scale down the Vijaya Sammilani programme scheduled for October 26, removing its usual pomp and grandeur. Representatives of community Durga Puja committees have been invited to attend. The programme will include tributes to those killed and financial assistance for people injured in the stampede.
The Chief Minister is scheduled to visit the families of the deceased on October 20 and 21 to hand over compensation cheques. Meanwhile, police have arrested seven people in connection with the incident, including two senior office-bearers of the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja Committee.
The autopsy findings and the subsequent measures have brought crowd safety at heavily attended festival venues into focus, alongside questions about whether medical deployment can compensate for gaps in crowd control.
