Daijiworld Media Network - Kolkata
Kolkata, Oct 18: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday visited a private hospital in Kolkata and met some of the people injured in the stampede at a community Durga Puja pandal that claimed 19 lives.
Shah enquired about the medical condition of the injured admitted to the hospital and interacted with some of them whose health permitted them to meet him. A total of 14 people were admitted to the private hospital following the incident.
He was accompanied by West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and BJP state president and Rajya Sabha member Samik Bhattacharya.
Shah arrived in Kolkata on Saturday night and had several Durga Puja-related programmes scheduled for Sunday, including a visit to Belur Math, the international headquarters of the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission founded by Swami Vivekananda, in the neighbouring Howrah district.
However, following the stampede tragedy, the Union Home Minister cancelled all his scheduled programmes. On Sunday morning, he first visited the iconic Goddess Kali temple at Kalighat in south Kolkata and offered prayers before proceeding to the hospital with Adhikari and Bhattacharya. He is scheduled to return to New Delhi later in the day.
Shah also shared a post on social media about his hospital visit.
“I visited the hospital and met with the devotees injured in the accident at the Chorbagan Public Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata and inquired about their well-being. In this difficult time, the West Bengal government stands firmly with every injured person and affected family. I pray to Mother Durga that all the injured recover swiftly,” the Union Home Minister said.
Meanwhile, state Health Minister Dr Saradwat Mukherjee said the condition of most of the injured admitted to the private hospital was stable and they were out of danger, although one person's condition remained relatively serious.
“Even the person whose condition is a bit serious, I will not use the word ‘crisis’ for him. I am hopeful that the death toll will not increase further. I am personally monitoring the treatment arrangements of the injured people,” Mukherjee said.
The minister, himself an acclaimed medical practitioner, said he was closely monitoring the treatment arrangements for the injured.