Kolkata: Retired Calcutta High Court judge Anindita Roy Saraswati, appointed by the state govt to head the Special Investigation Team probing the Chorbagan stampede, said all allegations will be probed with an “open mind”. The ex-judge also said the inquiry would focus on fixing responsibility for the incident that killed 19 people and injured 25 others.She also visited the stampede spot and said, “KP (Kolkata Police) will be examined,” adding, “The inquiry is specifically to examine the role of the police. The emergency exit was closed at that time. The police told me it was locked. For now, I will not say anything conclusively.”Roy Saraswati, who is also the SIR appellate tribunal judge for West Midnapore and Jhargram, said the SIT would examine allegations related to crowd management, lack of space, inadequate lighting and possible lapses in public announcements at the pandal.“We will try to see whose fault it was that led to the devastating incident. It will be our priority to see who and what led to it,” she said. “There are allegations that correct announcements were not made, the pandal was too small and there wasn’t enough lighting. We will look into everything, including the allegations, with an open mind and come to a decision.”The SIT has been given three months to complete its probe. Roy Saraswati said the deadline was short but the team would try to reach a conclusion within the stipulated period. She said she was approached by the state on Wednesday and the notification was issued after she gave her consent to head the team.Roy Saraswati said the pandal would not be dismantled before the SIT inspected it. “Dismantling will be allowed only after we check it. If we feel that it needs to be kept, if there is need for forensic or any other inquiry, then it will be denied,” she said.Asked about the crowd management plans, she said, “On paper, it may have seemed acceptable, but in reality it does not appear sufficient. It is disappointing.” She added that she will not “reach conclusions at first glance.”On the possibility of the announcement that the pandal may break down sparking panic and a stampede, she said, “Such announcements that can lead to such catastrophe and its surrounding context will be definitely reviewed.”The ex-judge said, “We will speak with many people involved. The CCTV footage has been collected; we will assess whether the number of CCTVs were adequate.”Roy Saraswati served as Coochbehar district judge in 2007 and later as chief judge of the City Civil Court before being elevated to Calcutta High Court in 2012, becoming its first woman judge. After retirement, she held key assignments under the central govt.
