Kolkata, Oct 18 Mamata All India Trinamool Congress spokesperson and MLA Kunal Ghosh on Sunday alleged that those injured in the Durga Puja pandal stampede were shifted from Kolkata Medical College and Hospital to a private medical establishment after their treatment had started.
There was no immediate reaction to his allegations from the Health Department or the hospital authorities.
At least 19 people died, and 25 were injured in the stampede at Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata following a crowd surge amid rain on Saturday evening. Fourteen of the injured people are undergoing treatment at a private hospital off EM Bypass.
“Medical College is not a primary health centre; it is a major hospital. The junior doctors had started treatment. Why were the injured shifted to other hospitals in the middle of treatment? Is it an attempt to suppress information?” he asked.
Ghosh, in a social media post, alleged that the injured people were shifted so that Union Home Minister Amit Shah, upon visiting the shiny and spotless hospital, thinks that the government is doing a great job.
“Besides, no one will be able to meet them (patients). Unofficially, mouths will remain shut. No sound bytes describing the incident will come out,” he added.
Ghosh said although individual cases might warrant referrals to other hospitals on medical advice, but the general shifting of patients during treatment needed to be examined.
Ghosh said those responsible for the tragedy must be held accountable.
The Beliaghata MLA alleged that the responsibility for the incident lay with the puja committee, police, civic body and the administration, and criticised the authorities for allegedly detaining poor private security guards instead of taking action against those responsible for crowd management.
“This is a complete failure of the administration, and the puja committee concerned will have to take responsibility. There are many influential people associated with it,” he said.
Ghosh said private security personnel and home guards should not be made scapegoats, as they were not the policymakers responsible for planning crowd management at a major puja.
He questioned the award given to the puja.
“What arrangements were in place? Who gave them the award and why? This should also be part of the investigation,” he said.
He also criticised the police, alleging that law enforcers failed to make adequate arrangements for crowd management at the puja venue.
(PTI News)
