Police detained 12 people, including organisers of the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja, on Saturday night in connection with their probe into the stampede in north Kolkata that killed 19 people and injured 25 others, an officer said.
The detentions came hours after Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhikari promised strict action against those found responsible for lapses that led to crowd mismanagement at the puja pandal.
"We have detained 12 people in connection with our probe into the Chorbagan incident. Our officers are talking to them to find out the cause that led to today's mishap. If any lapses are found, we will act as per the law," the officer told PTI.
The stampede occurred at the pandal on Saturday evening, the day of Maha Saptami, amid a surge in the crowd as rain lashed the city.
Amit Shah to meet injured on Sunday
Union home minister Amit Shah will visit those injured in the stampede at the Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal on Sunday, a day after postponing his scheduled Puja programmes in the wake of the tragedy.
Shah, who arrived here on Saturday evening for a two-day West Bengal tour, is likely to visit the Kolkata Medical College and Hospital in the College Street area of central Kolkata, where a majority of the injured are undergoing treatment, officials said.
His altered official itinerary is yet to be announced.
Two of the injured pandal hoppers are also admitted at the Trauma Care Centre of the state-run SSKM Hospital, but it remains unclear whether Shah will visit them as well.
SIT to probe stampede, CCTV footage collected
Adhikari announced that a Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by a sitting judge of the Calcutta High Court, would investigate the incident.
"The SIT will comprise members from STF, CID and other departments," he said.
The Anti-Rowdy Section (ARS) of Kolkata Police has collected CCTV footage from the site to establish what led to the stampede and identify lapses in crowd management.
"We will check the footage and take appropriate measures against those who failed to manage the crowd. That could be a member of the puja committee, a homeguard, a temporary worker, a policeman, or a private company security guard. Nobody will be spared," the chief minister said.
Panel to review safety at major Durga Puja pandals
In a separate measure, Adhikari announced the formation of a high-level committee to review safety arrangements at major Durga Puja pandals across Bengal and recommend comprehensive guidelines to prevent a recurrence of such incidents.
The panel will be led by Principal Secretary of Disaster Management Rajesh Sinha, Director General of Fire Services Anuj Sharma and Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Javed Shamim.
Accompanied by senior police officers and guided by the Director General of Police, the team will visit prominent puja pandals to inspect security arrangements and structural safety.
The review will cover crowd management, exit routes and the structural safety of pandals. The chief minister has directed organisers to strictly follow the panel's recommendations, emphasising that visitors' safety must take precedence over elaborate structures and themes.
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Organisers will be advised to confine rituals to the inner sanctum and use LED screens outside if complex structures pose safety risks or obstruct the movement of visitors.
The administration has also stressed the need for wider exit points, adequate lighting and the removal of bottlenecks caused by temporary rope enclosures.
With large crowds expected at pandals during the remaining days of Durga Puja, particularly Ashtami and Navami, officials have been asked to maintain heightened vigilance and ensure effective crowd control.