A five-member delegation of the Trinamul Congress on Sunday visited the homes of the three victims who died in last week’s Asansol stampede during a blanket-distribution drive organised by local BJP leaders, and conveyed chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s condolences to the bereaved kin.

The team comprising ministers Shashi Panja, Moloy Ghatak and Babul Supriyo also visited the hospital where those injured in the stampede have been admitted.

“We have come here to stand by the victims’ kin in this time of grief as instructed by the chief minister. The government has already provided them monetary help,” said Panja, the minister of women, child development and social welfare.

Last week, the state government gave compensation worth Rs 2 lakh each to the family members of victims and Rs 50,000 each to the kin of the injured, and had promised that the latter’s medical bills would be taken care of.

Last Wednesday, two women and a child died in a stampede that broke out at the blanket-distribution drive organised by local BJP leaders, with the leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari as chief guest. The stampede broke out shortly after his convoy left.

On Sunday, minister Shashi Panja alleged “complete negligence” on the part of the organisers.

“The organisers of the programme fled the scene following the outbreak of the stampede instead of rushing the injured to the hospital. How inhuman can they be? The relatives of the victims had to arrange for vehicles at such a time,” alleged Panja.

The minister added that despite the relatively-near presence of Adhikari, he did not turn back his car, visit the hospital or oversee rescue efforts.

“Our party leaders and workers provided all necessary help to the kin of the victims and the injured during this crisis,” said Panja.

Supriyo alleged that the organisers had selected such a venue to distribute 5,000 blankets which could not accommodate more than 500 people at a time. “The organisers did not have permission from the police nor did they make proper arrangements for the event. Police are probing the matter and have already made arrests,” he said.

BJP leader Jitendra Tiwari, whose wife and councillor Chaitali Tiwari was one of the organisers, accused Trinamul of doing politics over the tragedy. “Those who died or were injured in the unfortunate incident were our supporters. We are doing all we can for them but Trinamul is playing politics.... This is shameful. We have urged the local Trinamul-run civic body authorities to provide jobs to at least one member of each of the victims’ families,” said Jitendra Tiwari.

Police have started a case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder against Jitendra and Chaitali based on a complaint filed by one of the victims’ sons.

Six persons have been arrested as of Sunday.