Kolkata Police on Sunday, 18 October issued a sweeping set of safety directives for puja organisers and deployed personnel across all pandals, one day after a deadly stampede at the Chorebagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata killed 19 people and left dozens injured. The measures — which include cancelling all VIP passes and handing control of public address systems to the police — mark the most significant operational overhaul of Durga Puja crowd management the city has seen in recent years.

Key Directives Issued by the Police Commissioner

Kolkata Police Commissioner Ajay Nand formally communicated the new instructions to all police stations across the city. Among the most significant changes: all VIP passes permitting special access to pandals have been cancelled with immediate effect. Entry and exit points of every pandal must now be kept completely clear, and no food stalls of any kind are permitted at these access points.

Each pandal will be required to have at least one Police Constable stationed inside, in addition to existing volunteers. All inspectors have been equipped with Manpack radio sets to ensure uninterrupted communication between police and puja committees. Adequate lighting at entry, exit, and interior areas has also been made mandatory.

What Triggered the Stampede

The tragedy unfolded when an exceptionally large crowd surged into the Chorebagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal to view the idols. Tension escalated rapidly after a portion of the exit gate structure collapsed, triggering a stampede. The injured were rushed to Calcutta Medical College and Hospital and two other state hospitals. Nearly 17 people were declared brought dead at Calcutta Medical College and Hospital alone, while 25 injured were admitted for treatment — one of whom is reported to be in a critical condition. The death toll stood at 19 by Sunday.

Arrests Made, Organisers in Custody

Police on Sunday arrested seven people, including organisers of the Chorebagan pandal, in connection with the incident. The arrests signal that authorities are treating the stampede as a case of negligence rather than a purely accidental tragedy — a framing that could have significant legal consequences for event committees across the city.

Broader Safety Measures and What They Mean

The directive that places public address systems under police control is particularly noteworthy. During crowd emergencies, timely and authoritative announcements can be the difference between a manageable situation and a fatal crush. This measure directly addresses a critical gap exposed by the Chorebagan incident. Notably, this is not the first time crowd safety at Kolkata's Durga Puja — one of the world's largest religious gatherings — has come under scrutiny; previous editions have seen crowd-related incidents, though rarely with fatalities at this scale.

This comes amid growing pressure on state authorities to demonstrate credible accountability for large public events. With the remainder of the Durga Puja festival still ongoing, the city administration faces the dual challenge of maintaining festive access for millions of devotees while preventing another catastrophe.