Justice (Retired) Anindita Roy Saraswati, who is leading the special investigation team formed to probe the tragic stampede during Durga Puja in Kolkata, stated on Thursday that the three-month timeframe allocated for submitting the inquiry report is quite tight, though the team will make every possible effort to complete the task within the stipulated deadline.
The deadly stampede had broken out on October 17 at the Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata, claiming 19 lives and leaving 25 others injured. Following the tragedy, a six-member special investigation team was constituted in consultation with the Calcutta High Court to thoroughly examine the causes behind the incident and recommend concrete measures to prevent such occurrences in the future.
Speaking to a local news channel, the retired judge mentioned that the members of the SIT will soon hold a meeting to outline the framework of the investigation. She added that the team will physically visit the accident site to accurately ascertain the root causes of the disaster.
Addressing the three-month deadline set by the state government for submitting the final probe findings, she remarked that while the duration is indeed very brief, they will put in their best efforts to ensure the report is submitted right within the designated timeframe.
According to official directives, the panel will examine the sequence of events that unfolded immediately before the stampede occurred. This part of the inquiry includes finding out why the crowd suddenly surged, exactly how many people were present at the venue, and whether the head count exceeded the permissible safety capacity of the location.
The investigative body will scrutinize a wide array of evidence, which encompasses CCTV footage, video clips recorded on mobile phones, forensic investigation conclusions, call detail records, police station and control room logs, medical files, and other pertinent material related to the unfortunate episode.
Furthermore, the panel will evaluate the preparedness and subsequent response measures taken by the event organizers, police personnel, private security guards, volunteers, ambulance services, hospitals, fire services, and the local administration both during and after the mishap.
Apart from the retired judge heading the panel, the high-level team comprises the principal secretary of the disaster management and civil defense department, the director general and inspector general of police of the special task force, a nominee representing the West Bengal director general of police, a representative from the home and hill affairs department, and a member from the Kolkata-based National Disaster Response Fund.
As per the structural guidelines, the nominee representing the state police chief must not hold a rank lower than additional director general of police, while the representative from the home and hill affairs department cannot be below the rank of joint secretary.
