Kolkata, Nov 11 — The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Kolkata Police, probing the October 17 stampede at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja in North Kolkata that claimed 19 lives, has found that the puja organising committee engaged unskilled private security guards without adequate training or experience in crowd management.
Police sources said investigators, while examining the role of private security personnel deployed at the pandal, found that most lacked proper training and had no prior experience managing crowds at Durga Puja venues, which traditionally see massive footfall.
Some of the guards were not even full-time security professionals. They pursued other occupations throughout the year and took up security duties during the festival to earn additional income, a senior police source said.
None of the guards deployed at the Chorbagan pandal was associated with any reputed or professional security agency, he added.
“They were part-time associates of a relatively unknown entity owned by two individuals who were known to some members of the puja organising committee,” the police source said.
Investigators also found no experienced security officer to supervise the guards, assess the situation, and guide them when crowd-management arrangements came under pressure.
According to the source, the absence of trained personnel and experienced supervision left the guards unable to respond effectively when the pandal premises became overcrowded following heavy rainfall.
Chaos began to unfold as the number of devotees inside the pandal increased. Those already inside were reluctant to leave because of the downpour, while devotees waiting outside tried to enter the premises to escape the rain.
“Experienced security personnel are essential in such situations, but unfortunately, they were not available at the venue,” the police source said.
The situation reportedly deteriorated further after a misleading announcement was made, asking devotees to evacuate the premises on the ground that the pandal had collapsed. The announcement triggered panic, with people rushing towards the exit gate, resulting in the deadly stampede that left 19 people dead.
Apart from the Kolkata Police SIT, a six-member judicial commission constituted by the state government is conducting a parallel inquiry into the incident. The panel is headed by retired Calcutta High Court judge Justice Anindita Roy Saraswati.
The judicial commission is expected to submit its findings within three months of the commencement of its inquiry. Both investigations are examining the circumstances that led to the tragedy and the lapses in crowd management arrangements at the venue.