Entry Banned at Howrahs Sahyatri Club Durga Puja Pandal Following Chorbagan Tragedy

Howrah, October 18 (Daily Kiran) : In the wake of a tragic incident at the Chorbagan public Durga Puja pandal in North Kolkata, where 19 devotees lost their lives due to a stampede, the Sahyatri Club’s Durga Puja pandal in Kadamtala, Howrah, has also restricted visitor entry. The Howrah City Police posted a notice and erected guard rails at the main entrance on Sunday evening to enforce this decision.

The stampede occurred on Saturday evening at the Chorbagan pandal, which was overwhelmed by crowds. In response to this tragedy, authorities have heightened security measures at other puja sites.

On Sunday afternoon, a team led by Howrah District Magistrate P. Deepapriya, along with engineers from the Public Works Department and police officials, inspected the Sahyatri Club pandal.

This year, the theme for the Sahyatri Club pandal was “Kedarnath Darshan.” The pandal featured a replica of the Kedarnath temple, accessible via a narrow mountain path, with a statue of Goddess Durga inside. Artists had vividly portrayed the famous pilgrimage site from Uttarakhand. Over the past three days, large crowds had gathered in the evenings to view the display.

However, following the Chorbagan incident, authorities decided to close the pandal to visitors after 5 PM on Sunday. The main entrance was barricaded, leading many devotees to leave disappointed after only being able to view the pandal from a distance.

Devasish Mitra, an official from the club, stated that they are complying with the administration’s directives. Concerns were raised about the structural integrity of the pandal, which was believed to be insufficiently robust. The decision to restrict entry was made as a precaution against potential accidents.

Officials noted that the construction of the pandal should have utilized iron frameworks instead of wood, bamboo, and bricks, which raised safety concerns. As a result, the ban on visitor entry was implemented to ensure safety.