Three persons died and several were injured in a stampede during a blanket distribution event at Asansol in West Bengal. BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari was distributing blankets among people on Wednesday when people started to push others causing a stampede, resulting in the tragedy.
According to reports, the incident occurred at Ramkrishnadanga in Asansol in West Bardhaman, where the opposition leader had arrived for a public event. In this event, 5000 blankets were to be distributed to economically weaker people. Suvendu Adhikari launched it by distributing some blankets, which went smoothly.
After that, he left the venue to visit the district office of BJP, and the main blanket distribution started, and that is when the tragedy started. When people were moving towards the stage to collect blankets, suddenly some of them started to rush and push people in front of them. The people who rushed thought that there were not enough blankets for all the people gathered at the event, and that’s why they wanted to collect them as soon as possible.
This created a huge chaos, which ultimately turned into a stampede. Several people fell to the ground and others stepped over them to go forward. Three people were killed in the trampling, while many others were injured.
It is being reported that the three victims include a 12-year-old minor girl and two women. Two of them were taken to Asansol District Hospital, while one was taken to a private hospital. All three were declared brought dead by the doctors.
At least five persons have been seriously injured, four of whom are being treated at Asansol District Hospital.
TMC launched an attack on BJP after the incident, alleging that the event was organised without police permission. TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh blamed Suvendu Adhikari for the incident, and alleged that the BJP organised an “illegal rally” without police permission. Reportedly, Asansol police commissioner also claimed that the BJP had not taken any permission for the programme.
Kunal Ghosh also questioned the BJP leadership for handing over the reins of the party in the state to a ‘madman’. He said that Adhikari should apologise for the incident, questioning why he should not be held responsible for the accident.