Kolkata, Former general secretary of the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja Committee Jayanta Banerjee on Sunday expressed anguish over the stampede at the north Kolkata pandal that killed 19 people and injured several others, saying the shifting of the idol from its traditional position this year went against long-followed community practices.
“I am deeply grief-stricken and tormented by this horrific incident. Recounting previous instances when slight changes were made to the idol’s alignment or the surrounding structure, Banerjee referred to tragedies involving him and his close associates, including the death of his father in 2023, when a pillar was shifted. “For 15 years, I gave everything to Chorbagan. From 2017 onwards, we hosted theme pujas, and not a single year until 2025 did we face any trouble or mismanagement,” he said, recalling that large crowds had been managed successfully in previous years with the cooperation of police, administration and the club.
I can only pray for the peace of the departed souls,” he said.
