Asansol tragedy: TMC blames Suvendu Adhikari for stampede claiming 3 lives; BJP leader describes deaths and injuries as 'unfortunate'

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".

"Three persons were killed and five others were injured in the stampede. The injured people were hospitalised," a senior official of Asansol Durgapur Police Commissionerate is quoted by PTI as saying, adding that of the three deceased, two were women and the other was a girl. Asansol Mayor Bidhan Upadhyay, a TMC leader, reportedly claimed that around 5,000 people were present at the programme.

TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, however, held Suvendu Adhikari responsible for the three deaths. The BJP leader claimed that the police personnel deployed for crowd management at the programme were withdrawn after he left.

Banerjee also referred to Adhikari's statement on earlier occasions that big developments will happen on December 12, 14 and 21, and tweeted, @SuvenduWB promised us a December Dhamaka on the 12th, 14th and 21st. This is how it went: 12th Dec - Lalan Seikh was found dead in CBI custody. 14th December - 3 innocent lives were lost in Asansol due to the chaos created by him. Is something more tragic in store for December 21?"

Lalan Seikh was an accused person in the Bogtui village massacre in the Birbhum district. At least 10 people were killed in arson and violence that followed the murder of local TMC leader Bhadu Sheikh on March 21. The CBI is probing the case on the orders of the Calcutta High Court.

Adhikari later took to social media to express sorrow over the stampede, and tweeted, "When I was present at the venue, the arrangements made by the local police were satisfactory.... After I left the venue, the arrangements made by the police were withdrawn. Even the civic volunteers were asked to leave the venue by their superiors."

After TMC alleged that WB LoP Suvendu Adhikari defied the law and attended a meeting in Asansol in which 3 people lost lives due to a stampede situation, Suvendu Adhikari released his statement on the Asansol tragedy pic.twitter.com/7O2pgnddCr — ANI (@ANI) December 14, 2022

Adhikari, however, said he was not blaming anyone for this "horrific incident" and the deaths and injuries are "absolutely unfortunate, sorrowful and tragic".
Asansol Mayor Bidhan Upadhyay told PTI that the condition of the injured people is "critical", adding "This is an unfortunate incident. I am here in the hospital and overseeing the treatment. The conditions of those injured are also critical. We will provide all sorts of assistance to them."

Meanwhile, police claimed that no permission was taken from them for the event organised by a religious group, adding that a probe into the incident was initiated. "We are trying to get CCTV footage of the incident and find out what led to the stampede," he said.

(With PTI Inputs)