Relatives of victims of Saturday’s stampede at Chorebagan Sarbojanin
Durgotsav Samity said the state government’s compensation would help surviving family members financially, but no amount of money could make up for the loss of a loved one.
They also called for better crowd management and safety measures at puja pandals to prevent such tragedies.
Sanjay Sonkar lost his 33-year-old niece, Subham Sonkar, the sole earning member of a family of five.
Chief minister Suvendu Adhikari has announced compensation of ₹25 lakh for each victim’s next of kin, along with a government job for one family member.
“We will not get back the person we have lost. Her parents and the rest of the family are shattered,” Sanjay said.
Subham, the elder of two sisters, is survived by her parents, younger sister and a brother.
“She was responsible for running the family and worked at a private firm,” her uncle said.
“The compensation is necessary, but no amount of money can make up for the tragic loss of a family member. Her parents will not get their daughter back. The government’s assistance may help the family sustain itself in the long run,” he said.
Among the 19 people who died in the stampede were Dilip Ghosh, 59, and his wife, Dipali Ghosh, 54, of Baranagar. The couple is survived by their 25-year-old son.
“Their son has completed his graduation, and this tragic incident has left him alone. Relatives can be with him now, but not for long,” said Kartik Naskar, Dilip’s brother-in-law.
The couple was cremated late on Sunday.
“My sister-in-law looked up to me, and I had also arranged her marriage. I never thought this day would come,” Naskar said.
He received a call from the morgue around 3am asking him to come and claim the bodies.
Naskar said the compensation might help the couple’s son rebuild his life, but stressed the need to address safety lapses at puja pandals.
“In many pandals, the entrance narrows near the main structure, creating a bottleneck. Exits should be wide enough to allow large numbers of people to leave simultaneously. The administration must monitor these arrangements,” he said.