Chorbagan tragedy could have been averted if Adhikari government had made proper planning: Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury

Kolkata | Murshidabad: Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Monday said the stampede in north Kolkata's Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal could have been averted had the government made proper planning beforehand. He said such incidents have occurred before and the administration should have taken proper precautions.

"The tragedy could have been averted had the government taken proper precautions, even before granting permission for this year's puja," he told reporters here.

He said nine IPS officers, who were transferred out of Kolkata following the West Bengal assembly election results, have been brought back only after the tragedy struck.


He demanded that a court-monitored independent probe committee be immediately set up to probe the incident that claimed 19 lives and left at least 25 others injured.

Maintaining that the Suvendu Adhikari government was taking steps only after the incident occurred, Chowdhury said, "Projected footfall, width of road, etc. should have been examined before grant of permission for holding the Durga Puja at Chorbagan."