The accused, including the puja committee’s treasurer, were identified through CCTV footage; seven others had been arrested earlie
PTI, Our Web Desk Published 23.10.26, 12:59 PM
Police personnel sit outside the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal following a recent stampede-like situation, in Kolkata, Monday, Oct. 19, 2026. PTI
The number of arrests in the Chorebagan Durga Puja stampede case in north Kolkata has climbed to nine, with police apprehending two more people on Friday for allegedly spreading panic by announcing that part of the crowded pandal was collapsing.
One of the accused, Sanjeev Raha, was picked up from Nadia district on Thursday and subsequently arrested. The other, Kushal Majumdar, was arrested on Friday from the Girish Park area of Kolkata, a senior Kolkata Police officer said.
"Both of them were making announcements at the Chorebagan Durga Puja pandal on the evening of the first day of Durga Puja. They were identified by scanning CCTV footage. We arrested Majumdar this morning and took him to our headquarters for questioning. If needed, we may interrogate them together," the officer told PTI.
According to police, Sanjeev Raha was also the treasurer of the Chorebagan Durga Puja committee. Both Raha and Majumdar are residents of Kolkata's Amar Basu Sarani, just 50 metres from the puja spot.
Raha has been charged under non-bailable sections of the BNS and will be produced in court later in the day, the police officer said.
"We are still piecing together the course of events that led to the stampede. One of the CCTV footage showed the two persons making announcements. They were heard warning revellers that the pandal was collapsing and asking visitors to leave the place immediately. It appeared that the announcements triggered panic and a rush towards the exit point," he said.
According to the police officer, Raha was absconding since the October 17 incident and had switched off his mobile phone. Investigators tracked eight suspected mobile numbers to trace the accused as he was trying to contact family and friends using different numbers, he added.
The government has formed a six-member special investigation team in consultation with the Calcutta High Court to probe the cause of the stampede and recommend measures to prevent such incidents in future.
Earlier, police had arrested seven others in connection with the stampede, among them club office-bearers and members of the Chorebagan Sarbojanin Durgotsav Committee.
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