India, Oct. 21 -- Hearing a Public Interest Litigation and also responding to a Bengal Government letter urging the Chief Justice to appoint a sitting Judge to inquire into the October 17 stampede inside a Durga Puja pandal at Chorbagan, killing 19 people, the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday directed the State Government to set up a commission of inquiry headed by a retired judge of the Court instead, to inquire into the case.

Referring to a Supreme Court guideline, the Division Bench of Chief Justice Ravindra V Ghuge said that a sitting judge of the High Court could be appointed to head an inquiry as was prayed for by the State Government.

Instead, the Bench directed the State Government to appoint a retired judge of the Court of its ch...