00:00And usually what kind of crowd control measures are there?
00:03Because the Pooja Pandals that I visited in Delhi,
00:05it is a very controlled way of letting in the visitors inside,
00:10ensuring a long line is there.
00:12So how really does it happen in Kolkata,
00:14where I'm assuming that the crowd would be many times over?
00:21Well, you know, lots of lots of people every year come to visit Pooja Pandal.
00:26And not only from Kolkata, from suburbs, from districts,
00:31people come in huge numbers to see this spectacular Durga Pooja every year.
00:37And thousands of police personnel, especially trained for the past few years,
00:42and for the past many years, they know how to handle these situations.
00:48Many civic volunteers, volunteers are recruited,
00:51especially for these four, five days, to control the huge crowd.
00:55So every year they manage it.
00:57They manage it well.
00:58But this sign in this Chor Bazan Sarvijane,
01:01something went wrong.
01:02And that is why it has happened.
01:04Absolutely.
01:05It's really shocking and saddening news coming in right now.
01:10Do stay with us, Anupam.
01:12I will once again just read the statement that the governor has issued,
01:16because that does sort of signal to the fact that there have been deaths,
01:21because it says, deeply saddened by the loss of precious lives in the stampede
01:28at a Durga Pooja Pandal in Kolkata.
01:31So clearly signaling that there have been deaths,
01:33but the number still is not clear.
01:36Neither is it clear from the side of Kolkata police,
01:40nor the hospital authorities,
01:41nor anybody from the administration or the government.
01:44So, Anupam, do tell us that while we know there have been deaths,
01:51what is the situation of the injured over there at the hospital?
01:56Because if so many people were there,
01:59obviously the number of injured would also be high.
02:02So that many people suddenly being rushed to one single hospital
02:07would bring a lot of pressure on the hospital as well.
02:11Well, you know, the medical college is the nearest hospital
02:14where they have been shifted.
02:16You know, the shifting of injured people into the hospital
02:20is also a very difficult task to clear this huge crowd.
02:25You know, every road, especially in North Kolkata,
02:28where this Pooja Pandal is situated,
02:31is considered to be the most crowded place.
02:35This college square area,
02:37the Mohammed Ali Park area, Ram Mandir area,
02:40Central Evelines, basically,
02:42these are the places where, you know,
02:45traffic almost becomes a standstill.
02:49So, clearing the park,
02:51taking the injured to the hospital
02:53is also a very difficult task.
02:54So they have been shifted to a nearest hospital,
02:56which is barely two kilometers
02:58from the place where the incident happened.
03:02So they have been shifted.
03:04Maximum numbers of injured
03:05are being shifted to medical college and hospitals.
03:08And authorities, high authorities,
03:10even CM Sudhundu Adhikari
03:13has also visited the hospital,
03:15the higher authorities.
03:17Even, you know, during Durga Poojo,
03:20this is a kind of holiday.
03:23Everyone is off.
03:25So doctors are also left.
03:26So there is emergency call.
03:28Everyone has been called up.
03:29And people are being treated there.
03:33But still,
03:34we don't know the exact number of deaths.
03:38The administration or the government
03:40has still not cleared
03:43or not fed the exact number of deaths.
03:46But several people have died.
03:48That is what we know.
03:50Absolutely.
03:50Absolutely.
03:50Yeah.
