Chorbagan stampede: SIT head Anindita Saraswati says decisions have to be taken wisely before coming to conclusion

A six-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed in consultation with the Calcutta High Court to investigate reasons behind the October 17 stampede that killed 19 people and injured another 25. Retired Justice Anindita Saraswati heading the SIT said they are yet to chalk out a roadmap on the way forward as the notification was issued recently.

The team has been given three months to submit a report, which Justice Saraswati feels is too short a time and might require an extension of the deadline if needed. The team will, however, try to complete the task within the stipulated time.

“We have to first visit the site, look at which points to consider on why people lost their lives and then decide a plan of action,” she told THE WEEK.

The team will also have to look at available CCTV footage and there could be a possibility that a mandatory requirement of installing cameras in pandals could be suggested in future. While videos taken by some people stuck inside the pandals were doing rounds on social media, they are not sufficient to examine the reasons behind the stampede.

The development comes as Kolkata police on Thursday detained Sanjeev Raha alias Sentu, the treasurer and microphone announcer for the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja committee, for interrogation based on information obtained from previously arrested committee members. According to police, announcements were repeatedly made over the committee's microphone that the "pandal was collapsing", which sparked a frantic rush among visitors and led to a stampede.

Justice Saraswati is currently also heading the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) tribunal in West Midnapore and Jhargram districts. While this will continue, Justice Saraswati believes she can manage as there are other members in the SIT who are also juggling other responsibilities. In the past, she has also headed enquiry committees at Vishwa Bharati University in Shantiniketan and IIT Kharagpur.

“This (SIT) has to be done on priority,” she said. “Every case and committee is different and so is this. This SIT has to be looked at differently. We have to analyse what exactly happened and why, who all were involved in mismanagement for things going out of control,” said Justice Saraswati.

The SIT may also look at similar cases in the past as a reference point like the Desh Priya Park stampede like situation in October 2018 with the 88 feet tallest idol and the unmanageable crowds leading to traffic and crowd mismanagement in October 2021 at Sreebhumi Pandal with Dubai’s Burj Khalifa replica.

“We have to make decisions wisely before coming to a conclusion. We will try working together in a consolidated manner to reach a conclusion and submit the report.”

What has helped is the quick response by the state government in constituting the SIT and deciding its members within a week of the incident. The evidence is being collected and examined by the forensic team which reached the site on Thursday before evidence could be lost.

The fact-finding team will also visit the families of those who were present at the time of the incident, many who were unhurt too, to ascertain what took place at the spot. “They can explain their situation as to what happened and why, to collate information and help us understand the sequence of events,” added Justice Saraswati.

A delay could result in families being hesitant to explain what happened, believes Justice Saraswati.

Other members of the SIT include Rajesh Kumar Sinha, Principal Secretary Disaster Management and Civil Defence Department, Jawed Shamim, Director General of Police (Special Task Force), a representative of the Director General of Police not below the rank of Additional Director General, a representative of the Home and Hill Affairs Department not below the rank of Joint Secretary, and a representative of the National Disaster Response Force in Kolkata.

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has been visiting families of the deceased to hand over the compensation cheque of ₹25 lakh. Apart from taking care of medical expenses, a compensation of ₹5 lakh was announced for injured persons.