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 (October 17) evening, a senior officer said.
Several eyewitnesses alleged that announcements about entry, exit and crowd movement were improper, 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.
-PTI
