Chorbagan Durga idol immersed under police supervision, without rituals

The Durga idol of Chorbagan Sarbojanin Puja was immersed in the Hooghly river on Saturday, a week after a stampede at the pandal claimed 19 lives, with the farewell taking place without the customary 'Debi Boron' and 'Sindoor Khela' rituals.

Immersion cleared after SIT approval

The immersion remained uncertain even after the end of the festivities until retired judge Anindita Roy Saraswati, who heads one of the special investigation teams (SITs) probing the tragedy, cleared it, provided the main structure of the pandal was preserved for the investigation.

The massive idol was brought out of the pandal through a section of the entrance gate that had been cut on Friday to facilitate its removal.

The idol remained on Central Avenue for some time as residents gathered to bid it farewell, while a large police contingent supervised the immersion process.

Several residents stood along the route as the idol was taken out. Women bowed before it, while some locals walked ahead carrying candles.

A black banner displayed in front of a truck conveyed condolences to the families of those killed and injured in the stampede.

Residents bid farewell amid grief

An elderly woman from the neighbourhood was seen folding her hands before the idol, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"So many people died before our eyes. So many homes have lost their loved ones. May we never have to witness such a terrible time again," she said.

Another resident said the cries of people and the scenes of death from the evening of the incident continued to haunt them.

"I pray to God that we never have to see such a day again," the resident said.

"This year, there was no 'Debi Boron'. We could not even find out whether there had been any shortcomings in the puja. Mother, please forgive us," Sananda Roy, a resident said while expressing their grief over the tragedy.

No traditional rituals during farewell

'Debi Boron' is a traditional ritual of the Bengalis, in which women, preferably married, offer sweets, sindoor and other items to Maa Durga before bidding a final farewell to the goddess.

The immersion was carried out under police supervision, with no members of the Chorbagan Sarbojanin puja committee present during the proceedings.

19 killed in October 17 stampede

Nineteen people were killed in the stampede at the Chorbagan puja pandal on October 17.

So far, nine people, including two announcers, have been arrested in connection with the incident.

Two separate SITs have been constituted to investigate the tragedy.