CHOREBAGAN STAMPEDE PROBE: KEY PUJA COMMITTEE TREASURER ARRESTED OVER ALLEGEDLY MISLEADING COLLAPSE WARNING

Sanjeev Raha, also known as Sentu, detained in Nadia and brought to Kolkata for questioning as investigators examine the announcement preceding the tragedy that claimed 19 lives

THE VANGUARD REPORT | KOLKATA | 23 OCTOBER 2026

Kolkata Police have arrested Sanjeev Raha, also known as Sentu, the treasurer of the Chorebagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja Committee, in connection with the deadly stampede that claimed 19 lives at the north Kolkata Durga Puja pandal on October 17. Raha was detained in Nadia district on Thursday and subsequently brought to the Kolkata Police headquarters at Lalbazar for questioning. Investigators suspect that an announcement warning visitors about the alleged imminent collapse of the pandal may have triggered panic and contributed to the fatal crowd surge.

The arrest marks a significant development in the investigation into one of Kolkata's most devastating Durga Puja crowd disasters. Police are examining the circumstances surrounding the announcement, the reasons behind it and whether there was any factual basis for warning that the pandal was about to collapse. The precise sequence of events and the responsibility of those involved remain subjects of investigation.

ANNOUNCEMENT ALLEGEDLY TRIGGERED PANIC AMONG VISITORS

According to eyewitness accounts cited in reports, an announcement urged people not to approach the pandal or the idol and called on those already inside to leave immediately. The warning reportedly created alarm among visitors, prompting a rush towards the exit.

The situation allegedly deteriorated rapidly because the exit route was a narrow, winding corridor. Rain had contributed to congestion near the exit, where some people were reportedly reluctant or unable to move out. As visitors attempted to leave, the opposing pressures within the crowded passage intensified, leaving people struggling to move freely. Some fell and were trampled in the resulting crush.

Investigators are seeking to establish whether the announcement was based on a genuine safety concern, whether it was communicated responsibly and whether a more controlled evacuation could have prevented the loss of life. Police sources have described the announcement as potentially misleading, but it has not yet been established that the pandal was actually on the verge of collapse.

The distinction is crucial to the investigation. A warning about a possible structural emergency can prompt an immediate evacuation, but an unclear or unverified announcement in an overcrowded venue can also intensify panic. Investigators must determine what information was available at the time, who authorised or made the announcement and how the crowd responded.

SEVEN PEOPLE HAD ALREADY BEEN ARRESTED

Raha's arrest follows the earlier arrest of seven people, including several club officials and members of the Chorebagan Sarbojanin Durgotsav Committee. The police investigation has been examining the organisers' responsibilities, the arrangements for managing the crowd and the circumstances that allowed the situation to escalate.

The tragedy has raised serious questions about crowd-control planning, the management of entry and exit routes, the adequacy of security personnel and the communication procedures followed during emergencies. The investigation is expected to reconstruct the sequence of events using available CCTV footage, eyewitness statements and other evidence.

The committee's organisational links have also attracted public attention. Reports have identified BJP Jorasanko MLA Bijoy Ojha as the Puja committee chairman, while publicity material has named BJP north Calcutta district president Tamaghna Ghosh as its chief adviser and Debdeep Adhikari, the nephew of West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, as its chief patron. The chief minister had inaugurated the Puja.

These reported associations form part of the wider public context surrounding the event, but responsibility for the stampede must be determined through evidence and the investigative process rather than political affiliations.

SPECIAL INVESTIGATION TEAM VISITS THE PANDAL

A special investigation team headed by retired Calcutta High Court judge Justice Anindita Roy Saraswati visited the Chorebagan pandal on Thursday evening. The team was constituted to examine the circumstances of the tragedy, reconstruct the sequence of events, identify possible failures in safety arrangements and recommend measures to prevent similar incidents.

The team has been given three months to submit its findings and recommendations. Its work is expected to examine the decisions and arrangements that preceded the stampede, including the disputed announcement and the management of visitors inside the venue.

The investigation comes amid growing concern over public safety at large religious gatherings, where heavy footfall, confined passageways and inadequate emergency communication can create dangerous conditions. The Chorebagan tragedy has intensified calls for effective crowd management, clear evacuation protocols and sufficient trained personnel at major public events.

ACCOUNTABILITY AND PUBLIC SAFETY UNDER SCRUTINY

The arrest of the committee treasurer places the circumstances surrounding the announcement at the centre of the ongoing criminal investigation. However, the arrest itself does not establish guilt, and the allegations against the accused must be assessed through the due process of law.

The larger questions extend beyond the individual who allegedly made the announcement. Investigators must establish how the crowd was managed, whether exit routes remained sufficiently clear, what measures were in place to respond to heavy rain and overcrowding, and whether the emergency communication arrangements helped protect visitors or contributed to the panic.

With 19 people dead, the tragedy has left families grieving and raised urgent questions about the safeguards required at crowded public celebrations. The outcome of the investigation will be important not only in determining individual responsibility but also in identifying institutional and organisational failures, if any, that could have contributed to the disaster.

For Kolkata, the central challenge is to ensure that public celebrations are organised with safety as an essential requirement rather than an afterthought. Clear announcements, coordinated emergency responses, accessible exits and effective crowd monitoring are fundamental protections at mass gatherings.

As the investigation proceeds, the priority must remain the establishment of facts, accountability where evidence warrants it and meaningful safeguards against another preventable crowd disaster.

THE VANGUARD REPORT — TRUTH. ANALYSIS. DIRECTION.