Asansol Stampede: West Bengal police arrests six close aides of BJP leader

Kolkata: The West Bengal police arrested six people on Friday for their alleged role in triggering a stampede at a religious event in Bengal's Paschim Bardhaman district, a senior police officer is quoted by PTI as saying, adding that raids were conducted at the houses of some local BJP workers, who were present at the event, and six of them were apprehended from different locations in Asansol. As many as three persons died and five others were seriously injured in a stampede at a blanket distribution programme organised at West Bengal's Paschim Bardhaman district on Wednesday. The stampede occurred when people rushed towards the dais in an attempt to get blankets after the Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, of the BJP reportedly left the venue. The ruling TMC alleged that the incident occurred due to "chaos created by" Adhikari who described the deaths and injuries as "unfortunate".

"Those arrested were on the stage during a blanket distribution initiative at the event. A team has been constituted to find out if the stampede was a planned one or there were lapses on part of the organisers of the religious programme. Raids are still on," the officer further said. Sources in the police said the six arrested are close aides of local BJP leader Jitendra Tiwari, new agency PTI reported.

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Family members of one of the deceased lodged a complaint at Asansol North Police Station against Tiwari, his wife Chaitali and other saffron party workers who were present at the event, which also saw the participation of Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Suvendu Adhikari, following which the police initiated action, one of the sources said.

Adhikari had left the venue before the stampede happened. Chaitali, who is a local councillor, had organised the programme and was assisted by husband Jitendra, the source added.

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Two women and a girl died in the stampede on Wednesday as people rushed towards the dais for blankets that were being distributed at the programme.

Adhikari later alleged that police personnel deployed at the venue had left shortly after he did. The police said that no permission was given for the blanket distribution programme.