West Bengal government sets up SIT headed by retired justice to probe Durga Puja pandal stampede

The West Bengal government on Wednesday (October 21, 2026) issued an order setting up a special Investigation Team (SIT) to undertake a comprehensive, impartial and thorough inquiry into the stampede at Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja Pandal which claimed 19 lives on October 17.

The six-member SIT will be headed by Justice (Retired) Anindita Roy Saraswati, with several other officials of the state government and a representative of the National Disaster Response Force.

After the incident, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said that the SIT will be headed by a sitting judge of Calcutta High Court. However, on October 20 a Division Bench presided by Chief Justice Ravindra V. Ghuge said a sitting judge of the High Court could not be appointed to head an inquiry, in accordance with a Supreme Court directive.

The SIT shall submit its report, together with its findings and recommendations, to the State Government within three months from the date of issue of this order, the notification by the West Bengal government said.

The order signed by State’s Chief Secretary Manoj Agarwal said that the SIT will ascertain the time, location and manner in which the initial crowd surge occurred and developed into a stampede and examine the prevailing weather conditions, including relevant meteorological reports and rainfall or thunderstorm bulletins, and their possible impact on crowd movement.

The SIT will also inspect and assess the condition and adequacy of passages, barricades, stairways, gates, emergency exits and other structural and access arrangements at the pandal and examine whether permissions were granted in accordance with applicable rules and whether adequate crowd-management plans and disaster-management plans.

Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja Pandal, inaugurated by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari himself, drew large crowds this season until the tragedy occurred on the evening of October 17. Most of the deceased were women and children. Seven persons, including the organizers of the Durga Puja Pandal, have been arrested.

Questions have been raised over the role of Kolkata Police which was responsible for crowd management at the pandal. The SIT does not have a member of Kolkata police.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, for the second consecutive day, met the families of the deceased. Mr. Adhikari visited the New Barrackpore and New Town areas and handed over a cheque for ₹25 lakh to the kin of the deceased. The state government has promised compensation of ₹25 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased.

Kunal Ghosh, spokesperson of Mamata All India Trinamool Congress said that unless the BJP leaders who were in-charge of the Durga Puja pandal are arrested the SIT has no real purpose. Mr. Ghosh said that poor home guards and members of private security agency are being made a scapegoat in the stampede incident.