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Kolkata Police Seek Court Permission to Collect Voice Samples in Chorbagan Durga Puja Stampede Probe
By Drooid · · How we work
The Investigation into the October 17 Stampede
On the evening of October 17, 2026, a loudspeaker announcement at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal warned that a portion of the structure was collapsing. The warning triggered panic, leading to a stampede that left 19 people dead and 25 injured. Kolkata Police have arrested nine people, including Sanjib Raha, the puja committee treasurer, and Kushal Majumdar, a committee member. Investigators have collected three to four audio/video clips of the announcements and recorded statements from around 60 witnesses. The police have moved a local court seeking permission to obtain voice samples from Raha and Majumdar to match against the recordings.
Background and Context
The incident is the first fatal stampede recorded during Kolkata’s Durga Puja celebrations. A six-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted under the Calcutta High Court, headed by retired Justice Anindita Roy Saraswati. The SIT has directed that the pandal be preserved for forensic examination. Preparations are under way for the immersion of the Durga idol at Nimtala Ghat, which will occur under police supervision. Police have increased crowd-management resources at major pandals, deploying roughly 6,000 regular officers, an additional 6,000 from traffic and home-guard divisions, and 21,000 volunteers, with reinforcement at Chorbagan from October 13 onward.
Data and Statistics
- Injured: 25
- Witness statements: ~60
- Audio/video clips: 3–4
Official Statements & Responses
The officer added that forensic findings will help reconstruct the sequence of events before a chargesheet is prepared. The SIT has cleared the immersion of the Durga idol and ordered that the pandal remain intact for ongoing investigation.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Police have no role in who comes for immersion. Police only look after law and order. The puja committees decide among themselves who will come for the immersion… It has always been done like that,” — Ajay Kumar Nand, Kolkata Police Commissioner
- “I was about to leave when a police officer told us to announce on the public address system. When I went to the front, the person who had been making announcements was no longer there,” — Kushal Majumdar, accused
What’s Next
The court’s decision on the voice-sample request will determine whether forensic comparison can proceed. The SIT plans an on-site visit to the Chorbagan site and aims to submit its report within three months. The immersion at Nimtala Ghat will proceed under police supervision while the pandal remains sealed for further examination.