Kolkata: Police have arrested Sanjib Raha, treasurer of the Chorbagan Durga Puja committee, over the stampede at a city pandal last week, alleging that he warned revellers the structure was collapsing and set off the panic that followed.
Investigators believe the announcement triggered the crush that killed 19 people and injured 25. According to police, CCTV footage identified Raha as one of two people who made the announcement.
The stampede came after a rain-soaked surge of visitors at the pandal. A special team is examining whether crowd-management arrangements failed, and how the flow of people was handled around the venue.
During Durga Puja, Kolkata's larger pandals draw huge crowds, and authorities plan crowd control, entry and exit routes and emergency arrangements in advance. This year, complaints of poor management around some pandals have surfaced.
Demands for a judicial inquiry into the incident have also been raised. Police said the investigation is continuing to establish the causes of the tragedy and fix responsibility.
The arrest is the latest development in a case that has renewed attention on safety at the city's festival venues. The injured are being treated in hospitals. As part of the inquiry into the announcement, police have examined the public-address arrangements at the pandal. Questions have also been raised over whether the crowd-control plan was adequate. After the tragedy, safety arrangements at pandals are being reviewed, with officials stressing that entry and exit routes must be clearly marked during peak crowds. Calls for a judicial inquiry into the incident are growing.