Kolkata Durga Puja tragedy: 17 lives lost in night of horror; many in critical condition

KOLKATA: Seventeen people were killed in a stampede at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal in North Kolkata on Saturday evening. Several others were injured and taken to hospital, with some reported to be in critical condition.

The incident occurred at around 7.40 pm at the exit gate of the pandal in the Girish Park police station area. According to Kolkata Police, heavy crowds of visitors amid rain led to the stampede. The sudden downpour reportedly prompted people waiting outside to rush into the pandal, triggering chaos.

Regional media reports also suggested that part of the pandal's structure may have collapsed. The exact sequence of events, however, remains unclear. The pandal featured a circular elevated corridor through which visitors passed before exiting, and preliminary reports indicated that the crush occurred in this area.

Police, fire brigade personnel and disaster management teams were deployed to rescue those caught in the crowd. The injured were taken to Calcutta Medical College and Hospital, with reports indicating that around 35 people had been brought there. The exact number of injured remained unclear as rescue and medical operations continued. The pandal was subsequently closed to visitors.

Eyewitnesses said several people lost consciousness amid the crush. Some of the injured were taken to hospital on motorcycles. Local residents raised concerns about the narrow access points and alleged that inadequate lighting had worsened the situation. Some also claimed that the pandal lights were switched off and access to the site restricted after the incident.

Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed shock over the tragedy and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured. West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and Chief Secretary Manoj Agarwal visited Calcutta Medical College and Hospital to assess the situation and meet the injured. The state government also issued a toll-free helpline, 18003455678, for information related to the incident.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences to the bereaved families and announced ex-gratia assistance of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of each deceased person and Rs 50,000 for each injured person from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund.
The circumstances surrounding the stampede, including the reported structural collapse and the adequacy of crowd-control arrangements, remain under scrutiny.