Kolkata: Following the devastating stampede at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal that claimed 19 lives, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has announced a compensation package of ₹25 lakh for the families of each deceased victim. Going a step further, the Chief Minister has committed to personally visiting the grieving families right after Dussehra to hand over the ex-gratia cheques and offer his condolences.
The catastrophic incident, which unfolded amid heavy crowds during the festive weekend, has left the entire state in deep shock. Speaking to the media outside the state CID headquarters at Bhabani Bhavan following a high-level security meeting, CM Adhikari detailed his outreach plan.
“On October 20 and 21, I will try to connect with as many affected families as possible. I will travel by road to the homes of those residing within a 50-kilometre radius of Kolkata. For those living further away, I will use a helicopter to reach them, provided the weather permits,” the Chief Minister stated. He also assured that state authorities would oversee the post-mortem procedures and ensure the dignified handover of the victims’ bodies to their respective families. Among the deceased, officials confirmed the identity of one victim who hailed from Muzaffarpur, Bihar.
In addition to the financial aid for the deceased, the state government has pledged ₹5 lakh to each of the 25 injured individuals, alongside covering their complete medical expenses. A government job for the next of kin of the deceased has also been promised.
To ensure a fair and transparent probe into the massive security failure, the state government has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT). Emphasizing the need for an unbiased inquiry, CM Adhikari clarified that personnel from the Kolkata Police, Kolkata Municipal Corporation, and the Fire Service Department have been strictly excluded from the SIT. “The role of temporary home guards—appointed between 2024 and 2025—will also be thoroughly investigated, as some seemingly lacked basic communication skills in the local language,” he added.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his deep anguish over the tragedy, announcing an ex-gratia payment of ₹2 lakh from the PMNRF for the next of kin of the deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured. Union Home Minister Amit Shah also suspended his scheduled programs in the state to visit the stampede survivors at Calcutta Medical College and Hospital.