Kolkata stampede: Police seek voice samples of 2 accused over loudspeaker announcement, move court

Kolkata stampede: Police seek voice samples of 2 accused over loudspeaker announcement, move court left Police personnel deployed at the Chorbagan Sorbojanin Durga Puja pandal following a stampede in Kolkata. File. PTI PTI xsm Police personnel deployed at the Chorbagan SorbojaninDurga Puja pandal following a stampede, in Kolkata. PTI PTI A loudspeaker announcement that a portion of the Chorbagan puja pandal was collapsing allegedly sparked panic among revellers, triggering a stampede-like situation Kolkata The Kolkata Police has moved a local court, seeking permission to collect voice samples of two persons arrested in connection with the Chorbagan Durga Puja stampede, as it probes into loudspeaker announcements in the pandal that allegedly sparked panic among revellers.

One more person arrested in connection with Kolkata Durga Puja stampede One more person arrested in connection with Kolkata Durga Puja stampede The arrested person was allegedly the announcer at the pandal; allegations came up that wrong announcement of the pandal collapse had triggered panic among people, which may have led to the stampede that left 19 people dead One more person arrested in connection with Kolkata Durga Puja stampede storyline 1 Investigators want to match the voice samples of the arrested accused – Sanjib Raha, the treasurer of the puja, and Kushal Majumdar – with audio recordings of the announcements made on October 17, when a stampede resulted in the death of 19 people, a senior officer said.

“We are examining the available audio and video footage to establish who made the announcements and whether the voices match with those of the accused. The forensic findings will be important in reconstructing the sequence of events,” he said. Kolkata stampede: Three months too short to submit probe report, will strive to meet deadline, says SIT head Kolkata stampede: Three months too short to submit probe report, will strive to meet deadline, says SIT head Retired judge heading the SIT investigating the Kolkata Durga Puja stampede says the deadline was too short and that he would strive to submit the report within three months Kolkata stampede: Three months too short to submit probe report, will strive to meet deadline, says SIT head storyline 1 Police have collected three to four audio and video clips of the announcements made around the time of the incident, he said.

The investigators have also identified the clip in which the announcement can be heard, and initiated the process of examining the audio recordings, the Kolkata Police officer said. A loudspeaker announcement that a portion of the Chorbagan puja pandal was collapsing allegedly sparked panic among revellers, triggering a stampede-like situation. Kolkata stampede: Death in the time of Durga Puja Kolkata stampede: Death in the time of Durga Puja On October 17, a stampede broke out at a Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata, claiming 19 lives.

The pandal, erected in a narrow space with dim lighting, was filled with people soon after it started raining. Shrabana Chatterjee and Shiv Sahay Singh report on the lapses that led to the tragedy and the questions it has raised about accountability in West Bengal, where the new government’s first Durga Puja celebrations have been marred by controversy Ground Zero Kolkata stampede: Death in the time of Durga Puja storyline 1 “The voice samples will be compared with the recordings after the court grants permission,” he said.

As part of the probe, police have so far recorded the statements of around 60 people, including several of the 25 injured in the stampede – home guards, civic volunteers, private security personnel and locals. Personnel involved in crowd management at the venue have also been questioned, he said. West Bengal government sets up SIT headed by retired justice to probe Durga Puja pandal stampede West Bengal government sets up SIT headed by retired justice to probe Durga Puja pandal stampede After the incident, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said that the SIT will be headed by a sitting judge of Calcutta High Court West Bengal CM meets families of deceased in Kolkata puja pandal stampede West Bengal CM meets families of deceased in Kolkata puja pandal stampede Suvendu Adhikari hands over a cheque of ₹25 lakh to relatives and assures government job for one person in every family Calcutta HC says inquiry commission headed by retired judge be appointed into Chorbagan stampede Calcutta HC says inquiry commission headed by retired judge be appointed into Chorbagan stampede A division Bench led by Chief Justice Ravindra V.

Ghuge said a sitting judge cannot head the inquiry per a Supreme Court directive, rejecting the State government’s proposal Mamata’s party asks if BJP government put spectacle over safety in awarding Chorbagan puja Mamata’s party asks if BJP government put spectacle over safety in awarding Chorbagan puja The Mamata Trinamool Congress party questioned the recognition given to the puja, which had also won awards for best lighting, best pandal and best environment-friendly puja “Our officers are trying to establish the sequence of events, the nature of the announcements made over the public address system and their possible impact on the crowd.

The evidence collected will be examined before the chargesheet is prepared,” he said. Police have so far arrested nine people in connection with the case. Meanwhile, preparations are underway for the immersion of the idols at the Chorbagan puja pandal. The idols will be immersed at Nimtala Ghat here under strict police supervision, the officer added. The immersion has been cleared by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), constituted under the supervision of the Calcutta High Court, which has directed that the puja pandal be preserved in its existing condition for investigation.

Beyond religiosity: on the Kolkata pandal tragedy| The Hindu Editorial Beyond religiosity: on the Kolkata pandal tragedy| The Hindu Editorial At least 19 people lost their…