At least 17 people died and two dozen others sustained injuries on Saturday after a stampede broke out during a Hindu religious gathering in Kolkata, India, as sudden rainfall and crowd congestion hit outside a festival pavilion.
Heavy rain began falling on Saturday evening, prompting large numbers of worshippers and visitors to rush toward the pavilion to escape and shelter from the rain. The tragedy struck during the annual Durga Puja festival at the Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata on Saturday evening. As new visitors attempted to gain entry, an influx of people triggered the tragedy as heavy rain and a large crowd converged on the site.
Right after the event occurred, officials turned off the pandal lights. They completely blocked off entry for people coming in. Several additional Durga puja pandals around the city were shut down as well as a safety measure to stop any future accidents.
The media outlet India Today shared statements from an observer who reported that many attendees fainted during the surge. Certain individuals were transported away utilizing motorcycles.
Disputed Death Tolls Emerge from Disaster
Initial official accounts placed the death toll at 17, including a seven-year-old girl, with 25 others injured, according to West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendhu Adhikari. Local reporting from the scene noted that Six bodies have so far been identified,
as families searched for missing relatives.
Alternative reporting documented 18 deaths comprising 3 men, 13 women, and 2 children. Sources from the Kolkata Medical College claimed that the death toll has reached 20. Items left behind by worshippers lay on the floor of the place of worship following the disaster.
Witnesses Criticize Lack of Emergency Crowd Control
Eyewitnesses described a chaotic scene as panic gripped the pandal premises and people began running helter-skelter to save their lives. Observers noted that an atmosphere of intense fear and confusion prevailed among the people present there. They questioned why no adequate arrangements were made to control the massive crowd or to handle any emergency situation at such a large religious gathering venue.
Area inhabitants voiced severe complaints concerning the absence of assistance even with law enforcement officers on duty. Numerous police officers and thousands of volunteers gathered at the location, but nobody stepped forward to aid the hurt victims.
An area resident stated the serious claim that a Kolkata Police auto was stationed right next to the crash area, yet residents had to take matters into their own hands to rescue the victims. Reports stated that not a single puja committee representative could be found at the location while the event unfolded. Inhabitants complained that ambulances were missing from the site despite the massive gathering.
crowd waiting outside the pandal (pavilion) was pushing, pulling and rushing forward and fell on the ground, leading to the stampede.
Senior police official
Authorities Implement Safety Measures Following Previous Disasters
Authorities implemented safety measures across the city, including switching off pandal lights, barring visitor entry, and shutting down other pavilions as a precaution against further untoward incidents.
In the previous year, a human crush at the Kumbh Mela spiritual gathering in India resulted in 30 fatalities alongside multiple injuries. Eleven supporters lost their lives in a crush in Bengaluru during festivities marking the home cricket franchise’s maiden Indian Premier League championship.
In 2024, 121 people were killed in northern Uttar Pradesh state during a Hindu religious gathering. The Durga Puja festival is celebrated in West Bengal in honor of the Hindu goddess Durga, running traditionally from October 16 to 21.
