Seven remanded after fatal Kolkata pandal crush

Seven people arrested in connection with the fatal crush at a Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata were remanded to police custody until October 28, as authorities opened investigations and announced new safety measures. The stampede killed 19 people and injured 25, according to the prevailing account from officials and police. The crush occurred on the evening of October 17 at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal. Kolkata Police registered a case under Sections 105, 110 and 35 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, covering culpable homicide, attempted culpable homicide and common intention. Police also detained 14 other people for questioning, according to reports. Those arrested include members of the puja committee, people involved in crowd control and VIP-pass checks, a builder of the pandal’s bamboo structure, and private security personnel. Prosecutors cited alleged mismanagement, including narrow gates and inadequate security. Defence lawyers argued that some of the accused were visitors who had joined rescue efforts. The allegations have not been tested in court, and the investigation is ongoing. Police are examining CCTV and other footage to establish how the crowd...