Kolkata

The West Bengal Government, in consultation with the Calcutta High Court, constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the recent October 17 stampede at the Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata, which claimed 19 lives and left several injured. 

The newly formed panel has been tasked with uncovering the circumstances leading to the tragic incident and providing recommendations to prevent future occurrences. 

According to the official government notification, the SIT must conduct a comprehensive review of the incident and submit its final report to the state government within three months from the date of the order's issuance. 

The high-level probe committee will be chaired by Justice (Rtd.) Anindita Roy Saraswati.

Its members include the Principal Secretary of the Disaster Management & Civil Defence Department, Government of West Bengal, and the Director General and Inspector General of Police for the Special Task Force (STF), West Bengal. Additionally, the panel will feature a representative from the Director General and Inspector General of Police (not below the rank of Additional Director General), a representative from the Home and Hill Affairs Department (not below the rank of Joint Secretary), and a representative from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) based in Kolkata.

Meanwhile, the Kolkata Fire Department has placed five Durga Puja pandals in South Kolkata under special scrutiny following a fatal stampede, the department announced on Monday.

The department has issued written instructions to the Puja committees of Chetla, Tridhara, Deshapriya Park and Tollygunge Cultural, directing them to pay special attention to entry and exit routes at their respective pandals. The committees have also been instructed to implement additional fire safety measures to ensure safety at the venues. 

The West Bengal government has announced compensation of Rs 25 lakh and a job for the family of each victim. An investigation by the Special Task Force (STF) began to fix accountability for the incident.

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The Chief Minister, Suvendu Adhikari, along with the Chief Secretary, Home Secretary, Director General of Police (DGP) and Commissioner of Police (CP), is closely monitoring the situation.