A nurse from Hooghly, Sriparna Poddar, was among 19 killed in a stampede at a Kolkata Durga Puja pandal. Her family and neighbours have blamed administrative negligence. The government has formed an SIT and announced compensation for the victims.

The parents of Sriparna Poddar, a resident of Baidyabati in West Bengal’s Hooghly district who died in the Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal stampede in North Kolkata, have left for Kolkata to receive their daughter’s body. The incident claimed 19 lives, including Sriparna's, triggering grief among her family members and neighbours.

Family, Neighbours Allege Negligence

Ripa Das, Sriparna’s foster sister, said she never imagined this would happen to her and that if arrangements were robust, the incident could be prevented. “She was a very good girl and worked as a nursing staff member. She was my sister, my elder sister. She was getting ready to go out with her friends. We never imagined that this would be her fate. If the arrangements had been a bit more robust, this incident wouldn't have happened. I will only say one thing: this is due to the administration's negligence,” Das said.

Gouri Das Chatterjee, a neighbour, also alleged that better arrangements could have prevented the tragedy and criticised the administration’s handling of the festival. “If the arrangements had been somewhat better, perhaps a life could have been saved. What happened is unimaginable; it is a total failure of the government and the entire administration. They break footpaths and deploy the police administration only when VVIPs or important figures visit for such a massive festival, which is the biggest in India, but there are no proper arrangements or management for general citizens,” she said.

Recalling Sriparna’s childhood in the neighbourhood, Chatterjee said, “The girl who lost her life was a very good person, and she grew up in front of us with our childrens. When we heard the news in the evening, we couldn't eat or sleep; nobody in the neighbourhood had food or slept last night.”

SIT Probe Ordered, 7 Arrested in Aftermath

Meanwhile, Kolkata Police arrested seven people in connection with the stampede at the Chorbagan Sarbojonin Durgotsab Samity Durga Puja pandal.

The West Bengal government has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to conduct a thorough inquiry into the tragic stampede at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal, State Cabinet Minister Umesh Rai said on Sunday, terming the incident a "case of mismanagement".

The state government has also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 25 lakh and a government job for the next of kin of those who died, alongside Rs 5 lakh financial assistance for each of the injured.

Following the incident, the Kolkata Police imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, across sensitive parts of the city for three days, effective from October 18 to October 20, to maintain law and order and prevent any untoward incidents.

(ANI)

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