Kolkata pandal stampede toll climbs to 19, CM Suvendu Adhikari orders high-level safety review

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced the formation of a high-level committee to review safety arrangements at major Durga Puja pandals across the state following the stampede on Saturday at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin pandal in Kolkata that killed at least 19 people and injured 25 others. The committee will review crowd management, exit routes and structural safety at prominent puja venues and recommend comprehensive guidelines to prevent a recurrence of such incidents. The panel will be led by Principal Secretary of Disaster Management Rajesh Sinha, Director General of Fire Services Anuj Sharma and Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Javed Shamim, the chief minister said.