Kolkata Chief Minister Defends Decision to Transfer Injured from Durga Puja Pandal to Private Hospitals

Kolkata, October 20 (Daily Kiran) : Following a tragic stampede at a Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari addressed criticism regarding the decision to transfer injured individuals to private hospitals. The incident, which occurred on the night of ‘Nabami,’ resulted in the deaths of 19 people and left 25 others injured.

On Tuesday, Adhikari visited the health control room in Salt Lake, where he monitored the situation across various hospitals in the city and state. He explained that the decision to send the injured to private facilities was made to prevent further fatalities. “We decided to transfer the injured immediately to private hospitals to avoid increasing the death toll,” he stated, adding that no additional deaths were reported after the transfers.

Acknowledging shortcomings in the state’s public hospitals, the Chief Minister indicated that improvements would take approximately two years to implement. He assessed the preparedness of the health department for any further incidents during the remaining days of Durga Puja.

Health Minister Sharadwat Mukherjee accompanied Adhikari during this visit. Journalists questioned the rationale behind referring the injured to private hospitals. In response, Adhikari reiterated the necessity of the transfers for saving lives, noting that prior to the shift, several individuals had died while receiving treatment in public hospitals.

The stampede at the Chorabagan Sarvajanik Durga Puja pandal sparked outrage among eyewitnesses and attendees, who criticized the police and administration for their inadequate crowd management. Delays in the arrival of police and disaster management teams further fueled frustrations.

In connection with the incident, authorities have arrested seven individuals as investigations continue.