West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday, 21 October 2026, accused Opposition leaders in the state of confining their response to the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja Pandal stampede in North Kolkata entirely to social media, alleging that not a single leader visited victims or their families in the aftermath of the tragedy. The stampede, which struck on the night of 17 October, claimed 19 lives and left 25 people injured.

Chief Minister Visits Victim's Family

Adhikari reached the residence of Piu Samaddar, one of the deceased, to personally hand over a compensation cheque to her family members. He noted that Samaddar's mother has been in severe emotional trauma since learning of her daughter's death. 'I have specially instructed the state health department to look after Piu's mother and other family members,' he said. The Chief Minister added that ASHA workers have been assigned to provide regular support to grieving family members.

Government Outreach and Rehabilitation Measures

Beyond the compensation cheque, Adhikari said talks have been initiated with the District Magistrate regarding employment opportunities for the affected families. 'Necessary instructions have been given to provide jobs in the office of the local Block Development Officer,' he said, adding, 'We cannot bring back those who have lost their lives. But we are always with their family members.' This outreach signals a broader administrative effort to support bereaved households beyond immediate financial relief.

Opposition Accused of Political Point-Scoring

Speaking to reporters after the visit, Adhikari levelled pointed accusations at the principal Opposition parties. 'Not even one Opposition leader or worker went to the hospital to see those who were injured or died that day. No one stood by those who lost their loved ones. The Opposition leaders are only on social media,' he claimed. The remarks sharpen the political temperature in West Bengal, where the ruling All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Opposition parties — including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) — have been locked in sustained rivalry. Notably, Adhikari himself is a BJP leader and former Leader of the Opposition, making his charge part of an ongoing political contest over accountability in the tragedy.

Judicial Probe Panel Constituted

On the question of accountability, the Chief Minister confirmed that a judicial probe panel has been constituted to investigate the circumstances of the stampede. 'All the necessary papers and documents related to the investigation had been handed over to the probe panel members. Now they will investigate the matter,' Adhikari said, declining to elaborate further at this stage. The formation of an independent judicial panel suggests the administration is seeking to insulate the probe from political interference, though critics will watch closely whether its findings are made public in a timely manner.

What Happened at Chorbagan on 17 October

The stampede occurred on the night of 17 October at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja Pandal, one of the prominent community pujas in North Kolkata. Large crowds gathering for Durga Puja celebrations are common across the city, and crowd management at pandals has historically posed challenges for local authorities. The tragedy, which killed 19 people and injured 25, is one of the deadliest stampede incidents during the festival season in recent memory in the state. The judicial probe is expected to examine crowd control arrangements, permissions, and emergency response protocols on the night.