Kolkata Pandal Stampede: Girish Park Police OC Removed From Post
Sumit Kumar Ghosh removed as Girish Park Police OC after deadly Chorbagan pandal stampede. Seven accused remanded to police custody.
In a significant administrative move following the tragedy at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durgotsab pandal, the Kolkata Police have removed Sumit Kumar Ghosh, the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of the Girish Park Police Station. The decision comes in the wake of a devastating Kolkata Pandal Stampede that claimed 19 lives, sparking intense scrutiny over crowd management and security lapses.
New Leadership at Girish Park PS
Following instructions from Lalbazar, Hirak Dalapati, an Inspector from the Kolkata Police Detective Department, has been appointed to take interim charge of the Girish Park Police Station. According to the official order, Dalapati will oversee the duties of the OC in addition to his existing responsibilities in the Detective Department. This appointment is effective immediately and is intended to serve the interest of public service until further orders are issued.
Legal Action and Custody of Accused
The investigation into the deadly incident has already led to several arrests. The Bankshall Court has remanded seven individuals to police custody until October 28. While the police had requested custody until November 1, the court granted a shorter period of 10 days.
The list of those arrested includes key figures associated with the event's organization and execution:
- Raj Kumar Sewda (alias Raja): Secretary of the puja committee.
- Santanu Dubey: Vice-president of the puja committee.
- Biplab Mukherjee (alias Joy): Involved in the construction of the bamboo structure.
- Koushik Saha: Responsible for crowd management and VIP pass verification.
- Pintu Dey: Engaged in crowd management.
- Suman Chakraborty and Rajesh Pal: Private security in-charges.
Defense Claims Outsiders Were Framed
The defense lawyer, MD Yashim Raheman, has presented a different narrative to the court. He argued that the arrested individuals were not organizers but outsiders who had come to enjoy the Durga Puja celebrations. According to the defense, these individuals stepped in to help with rescue efforts after witnessing the distress of the crowd, rather than being responsible for the chaos.
State Response and Security Overhaul
As the city grapples with the loss of 19 lives, the state administration is taking steps to prevent such disasters in the future. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari visited the central monitoring facilities to personally review the current crowd management arrangements.
To further bolster security and ensure better crowd control during the remaining Durga Puja festivities, the state police have recalled nine experienced IPS officers to the Kolkata Police force. This move is aimed at strengthening the operational capacity of the city's police force during high-traffic events.