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.
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. The immersion was carried out under police supervision, with no members of the Chorbagan Sarbojanin puja committee present during the proceedings. So far, nine people, including two announcers, have been arrested in connection with the incident.
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.
