The Girish Park Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Sumit Kumar Ghosh was removed from his post on Monday, 19 October 2026, following a deadly stampede at the Chorebagan Sarbojonin Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata that claimed 19 lives and left at least 25 people injured. The administration's action came amid widespread public fury over perceived police negligence during the tragedy, which unfolded on the night of Saptami, falling on Saturday.

Leadership Change at Girish Park

In place of the removed OC, Hirak Dalapati, an Inspector of Police (I-Cadre) from the Kolkata Police Detective Department, has been given additional charge of Girish Park Police Station under Central Division, with immediate effect. The official order stated that Dalapati 'will look after the work of the office of the Officer-In-Charge of Girish Park PS under Central Division, Kolkata Police, in addition to his own duties, with immediate effect in the interest of public service until further orders.'

Lalbazar Tightens Festival Security

Lalbazar — the Kolkata Police headquarters — has issued 11 strict instructions to all police stations across the city. In addition, nine experienced IPS officers with a track record of managing large festival crowds have been urgently deployed to oversee crowd management for the remaining days of the Durga Puja festival. This emergency redeployment signals that the police command is not willing to risk a repeat incident during the ongoing celebrations.

Public Anger and Eyewitness Accounts

Eyewitnesses and visitors at the Chorebagan pandal erupted in anger against the police and the local administration in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy. Their central grievance was that the police failed to manage the surging crowd adequately. Critics further alleged that both the police and the disaster management team were slow to arrive and assist in rescue operations — compounding the casualty toll. This is the kind of crowd-control failure that experts and event safety advocates have repeatedly warned about at large public gatherings in dense urban areas.

Seven Accused Sent to Police Custody

The Bankshall Court on Sunday remanded seven accused, arrested in connection with the stampede, to 10 days of police custody until 28 October. The identities and specific roles of the accused have not yet been publicly detailed by investigators.

Chief Minister's Response

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari visited the state police traffic control room at Araksha Bhavan in Salt Lake on Sunday evening before proceeding to Lalbazar, where he personally reviewed the situation from the control room. Defending the force, Adhikari said, 'The police have performed their duty. The allegations of negligence will be investigated.' His remarks have done little to quell public criticism, with many demanding greater accountability. As the festival enters its final days, all eyes will be on whether Kolkata Police's reinforced crowd strategy can prevent further tragedy.