Patna: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National President Nitin Nabin on Sunday announced the cancellation of all public programmes scheduled for the day following the deadly stampede at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal in North Kolkata, expressing solidarity with the bereaved families and those affected by the tragedy.
Speaking in Patna, Bihar, Nabin said the incident had deeply affected people in West Bengal and that the party had decided to cancel its public engagements as a mark of solidarity with the victims.
“The tragedy has affected our brothers and sisters in West Bengal. We have therefore cancelled all public programmes scheduled for today. We will continue our other work while standing with society, but today we stand with the families affected by this incident,” Nabin said.
Meanwhile, BJP MLA Ratna Debnath, who met families of the victims of the stampede, described the tragedy as extremely painful and alleged serious negligence on the part of the puja organisers and the police.
Debnath said the families were struggling to come to terms with their loss, recounting her meeting with the mother of a victim identified as Pranjol and another woman whose husband was undergoing treatment in a hospital.
“I met Pranjol’s family. His mother still cannot believe that her son is no more. I also met Kalpana Jana, whose children are at home while her husband is in the hospital. The incident is extremely tragic, and I am at a loss for words,” she said.
The stampede occurred on Saturday night at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin community Durga Puja pandal on Muktarambabu Street in North Kolkata. The incident triggered panic among visitors amid heavy rainfall and overcrowding, with people reportedly struggling to move out of the packed premises.
West Bengal Chief Minister Shuvendu Adhikari said 19 people had lost their lives in the tragedy, including 17 who died on the spot. He said 25 people were injured, of whom 24 were out of danger while one remained in critical condition.
The state government announced compensation of Rs 25 lakh and a job for each bereaved family. It also said it would bear the full medical expenses of those injured and provide an additional Rs 5 lakh in compensation.