The treasurer of the Chorbagan Durga Puja committee has been arrested for allegedly triggering panic among revellers by announcing that part of the pandal was collapsing, leading to a stampede that claimed 19 lives last week, police said on Friday.
Sanjib Raha, alias Sentu, was initially detained at a hideout in Nadia district on Thursday before being arrested following hours of questioning, a senior police officer said.
“There were two persons making announcements at the Chorbagan Durga Puja. He was one of them. He had been absconding since the incident occurred on the evening of October 17. We initially detained him in Nadia and then arrested him after hours of questioning,” the officer said.
At least 19 people were killed and 25 others injured in the stampede at the Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata after a surge in the crowd amid rain.
The two individuals who made announcements at the pandal on Maha Saptami were identified through CCTV footage, the officer said.
The police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the tragedy. Raha's mobile phone had remained switched off since the incident, and he had allegedly attempted to contact family members and friends using different numbers, the officer added.
Investigators were tracking eight suspected mobile numbers as part of their efforts to locate him.
“One of the videos captured the two persons making announcements. They were heard warning revellers that the pandal was collapsing and asking visitors to leave the place immediately. It appeared that the announcements triggered panic and a fresh rush towards the exit point,” the officer said.
A special investigation team set up to probe the tragedy is also examining whether lapses in crowd management or other acts of negligence contributed to the stampede, he added.
(With inputs from PTI)