DHUPGURI: At least 30 persons were injured after a stampede broke out at a vaccination center at Dhupguri in north Bengal on Tuesday.
The condition of four persons have been reported to be critical. The incident took place at Duramari Chandrakanta High Secondary School, Banarhat Block in Dhupguri under Jalpaiguri district. The critically injured persons were being treated at Jalpaiguri Super Specialty Hospital.
A steady built up of crowd was witnessed at the centre since morning. To manage the crowd, the police personnel allowed the recipients through a small gate of the school. A sudden surge of crowd at this gate and at the main gate caused a melee.
The crowd forced both the gates open triggering the stampede. About 30 persons including some police personnel were injured.
The injured were admitted to the local Beerpara State General Hospital, later to Dhupguri Rural Hospital. The critically injured are being treated at Jalpaiguri Super Specialty Hospital. Though it sparked a tension, the crowd swell for vaccination did not recede.
The Jalpaiguri district magistrate, Moumita Godara said that the matter is being investigated by the additional district magistrate.
"We will investigate on how this tragedy took place. The vaccination process at this particular center has been put on hold now. Four has been admitted to the Beerpara State General Hospital," he said.
BJP's Jalpaiguri district vice- president, Aloke Chakraparty held chief minister Mamata Banerjee as responsible for this mishap.
"There are so many officers. Still there is utter mismanagement. I wonder what was CMOH doing. Don't they have the responsibility to answer? The chief minister claims that her government has reached the doorsteps of people. Why don't they take vaccines to the doorsteps? She should utilize her people for that purpose. It is illogical in allowing so many people at such a small place," she said.
The Chief Medical Officer Health(CMOH) of Jalpaiguri district, Ramendranath Pramanik, maintained that he heard that some people became sick while they went for vaccination. "I do not have the detailed information. I will go to the spot and before that I will not say anything," he said.
