Kolkata Police Arrest Durga Puja Treasurer Over Stampede

Kolkata police have arrested Sanjib Raha, treasurer of the Chorbagan Durga Puja committee, over an announcement that investigators say may have contributed to a stampede that killed 19 people and injured 25. The arrests do not establish the cause of the crowd surge, which remains under investigation. Raha, also known as Sentu, was detained in Nadia district on Thursday, October 22, and arrested after questioning, police said. He had been sought since the stampede on October 17. Police allege that he was one of two people heard in CCTV footage warning visitors that the pandal was collapsing and urging them to leave. A senior police officer said the announcement appeared to trigger panic and a rush toward an exit. The stampede occurred at the north Kolkata venue amid rain and a crowd surge, according to police. Investigators are examining the sequence of events and whether the announcement, crowd-management lapses or other negligence contributed. No final finding on the causes has been reported. Police said Raha’s arrest followed efforts to trace him, including tracking suspected phone numbers used to contact family members and friends. The authorities said his phone had been...