Stampede at Kolkata Durga Puja pandal kills 17, injures 25

KOLKATA: At least 17 people died and 25 others were injured in a stampede-like situation at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata on Saturday evening, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said.

“Seventeen people were brought dead to Calcutta Medical College and Hospital, while 25 others are injured,” Adhikari said. One of the injured is in critical condition, according to PTI.

The incident occurred at around 19:40 hrs at the exit gate of the Sarada Park (Chor Bagan) Puja Pandal in the Girish Park police station area, the Kolkata Police said in a statement. As it started raining, the crowd waiting outside the pandal rushed forward and some fell on the road, triggering the stampede, a senior officer told PTI. The chief minister said an announcement by the organisers led to the rush that caused the “painful incident”.

Reinforcements from the control room, fire brigade, Kolkata Police and the Disaster Management Group were deployed, and the pandal is now closed to visitors. Members of the pandal authority have been detained at the police station, Adhikari confirmed. The state government has set up a toll-free helpline, 1800-3455678, for queries related to the incident.

Adhikari visited the hospital along with Chief Secretary Manoj Agarwal; Health Minister Saradwat Mukherjee also rushed there.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund to the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 50,000 to each injured person, in a post on X. Union Home Minister Amit Shah postponed his Sunday programmes in West Bengal and will visit the hospital to meet the injured; he has spoken with Adhikari.

Former chief minister Mamata Banerjee said she was “deeply shocked and saddened” by the stampede and prayed for the injured.

Sources:

• Deccan Herald / PTI
• Business Standard / PTI
• The New Indian Express
• The Week