CALCUTTA HIGH COURT ORDERS RETIRED JUDGE-LED PROBE INTO CHORBAGAN STAMPEDE

October 20, 2026

KOLKATA, OCTOBER 20: The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday directed the West Bengal government to constitute a commission of inquiry headed by a retired judge of the High Court to investigate the deadly stampede at the Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal that claimed 19 lives on October 17.

A division bench presided over by Chief Justice Ravindra V. Ghuge said the inquiry commission could be headed by a retired High Court judge, rejecting the state government's request to appoint a sitting judge to lead the investigation.

The court's decision came as the government sought a judicially supervised investigation into the tragedy, which occurred during the Durga Puja festivities in north Kolkata. The stampede has raised serious questions about crowd management and the arrangements made to ensure the safety of visitors at the crowded pandal.

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari had earlier announced that a sitting High Court judge would head a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the incident. The proposal was intended to ensure an impartial examination of the circumstances surrounding the disaster and identify those responsible.

However, the division bench clarified that, in accordance with a Supreme Court directive, a sitting High Court judge could not be appointed to head the proposed inquiry in the manner requested by the state administration. The government can instead select a retired judge of the High Court to lead the commission.

The matter came before the court during a special sitting on Navami of the Durga Puja festival. The bench was hearing a public interest litigation filed by a lawyer seeking an independent and speedy investigation into the stampede that took place on Saptami, the first day of the Durga Puja celebrations.

The disaster has intensified demands for accountability over the circumstances that led to the loss of lives. The inquiry is expected to examine the causes of the stampede and determine who bears responsibility for the incident.

The High Court's direction marks a significant development in the legal proceedings surrounding the tragedy. The state government must now establish the commission in accordance with the court's observations, with a retired High Court judge at its head.

The investigation assumes particular importance as questions continue to surround crowd-control arrangements and public safety at major Durga Puja gatherings. The commission's findings could help establish the sequence of events and identify responsibility for the disaster that turned a major festive gathering into a tragedy.