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The police want to determine whether the two accused made the loudspeaker announcements that allegedly triggered panic at the Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal on October 17.
Kolkata: Police personnel sit outside the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal following a recent stampede-like situation, in Kolkata, on Monday. (PTI)
Over a week after a Durga Puja pandal stampede claimed 19 lives in Kolkata, the city police have approached a local court, seeking permission to collect voice samples of two people arrested in connection with the case.
The police want to determine whether the two accused, Sanjib Raha, the puja committee’s treasurer, and Kushal Majumdar, made the loudspeaker announcements that allegedly triggered panic at the Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal on October 17.
Kolkata Stampede: Loudspeaker Announcement Under Scanner
Investigators have obtained three to four audio and video clips of announcements made around the time of the incident. They plan to compare the recordings with the accused persons’ voice samples once the court grants permission, PTI reported, citing a senior police officer.
“We are examining the available audio and video footage to establish who made the announcements, and whether the voices match with those of the accused. The forensic findings will be important in reconstructing the sequence of events,” he said.
Pandal Stampede: Statements Of 60 People Recorded, 9 Held
An announcement claiming that part of the pandal was collapsing allegedly caused panic among revellers, leading to a stampede-like situation that left 19 people dead and 25 injured.
At A Glance
A Durga Puja pandal stampede in Kolkata claimed 19 lives and left 25 people injured.
Kolkata police approached a local court to collect voice samples of two arrested individuals regarding loudspeaker announcements.
Investigators have recorded statements from around 60 people and arrested nine individuals in connection with the case.
The police have recorded statements from around 60 people, including some of the injured, home guards, civic volunteers, private security staff and local residents. Personnel responsible for crowd management at the venue have also been questioned.
“Our officers are trying to establish the sequence of events, the nature of the announcements made over the public address system and their possible impact on the crowd. The evidence collected will be examined before the chargesheet is prepared,” he said.
Nine people have been arrested so far in connection with the case.
Meanwhile, preparations are underway for the immersion of the idols at the Chorbagan puja pandal. The idols will be immersed at Nimtala Ghat here under strict police supervision, the officer added. The immersion has been cleared by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), constituted under the supervision of the Calcutta High Court, which has directed that the puja pandal be preserved in its existing condition for investigation.
Quick Answers
Ask News18A deadly stampede occurred at the Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal on October 17, claiming 19 lives and injuring 25 people. The panic was allegedly triggered by loudspeaker announcements claiming that a part of the pandal was collapsing amidst heavy rain and overcrowding.
Ask News18About the Author
Manisha Roy is a Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com, with over 7 years of experience in journalism. She covers politics and a wide range of hard news, with a keen interest in national and international d…Read More
October 24, 2026, 6:06 PM IST
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