A reported Kolkata Durga Puja stampede at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin pandal in central Kolkata left several people feared dead and dozens injured after rain triggered a rush for shelter on Saptami evening, according to a report by Telegraph India. The number of deaths had not been officially confirmed in the supplied report, which cited television channels quoting hospital sources as saying that at least 17 people may have died.
Around 25 to 30 people were taken to Calcutta Medical College and Hospital, most of them reported to be in critical condition. The casualty figure could rise, the report said, as more injured people continued to reach the hospital. The Kolkata Police and the Kolkata Municipal Corporation had not publicly confirmed the toll at the time of the report, telling television reporters only that they were checking what had happened.
The incident reportedly unfolded when a sudden spell of rain caught thousands of visitors at the pandal unprepared. The Chorbagan Sarbojanin puja, which is celebrating its 91st year, is located along a narrow stretch with lanes leading towards the main pandal. People outside reportedly rushed inside to escape the rain, while visitors already inside attempted to move out, creating pressure at the entry and exit points.
According to accounts cited by Telegraph India, people fell on one another on a makeshift staircase. The pandal had an iron structure beneath which the Durga idol was installed, and a portion of that structure was suspected to have collapsed, potentially adding to the casualties. The reported crowd surge was believed to have lasted between five and seven minutes.
The report said that one exit route available to the public varied from approximately 10 feet to 30 feet in width and was uneven. A lane identified as Parbati Ghosh Lane was reportedly closed, while a visitor alleged that ambulances were not allowed through and that police personnel had left the area. These accounts had not been independently confirmed in the supplied material. Local residents were reported to have helped rescue people trapped at the site.
A visitor told the newspaper that three friends accompanying him fell to the ground during the crush. He said he tried to pull them out and was later joined by others who helped drag them away. The report also said that a handful of volunteers had been managing the crowd and that one lane was apparently restricted for VIP movement.
West Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhikari visited the pandal and Calcutta Medical College and Hospital. He said a proper investigation would be conducted with full transparency, and that the puja committee members and security agencies had been detained. He also said support would be provided to the affected families.
The chief minister added that a preliminary inquiry indicated that the crowd surge followed an announcement by the puja committee. According to the report, a police officer told organisers that the announcement had caused people to jostle. The precise sequence of events, the role of the suspected structural collapse and the confirmed number of deaths and injuries remained subject to investigation.
Kolkata Police’s Lalbazar Control Room opened two help lines following the incident: 180034556782 and 033-22141310. Police were also attempting to identify the dead and injured, many of whom were believed to have travelled from districts outside Kolkata. The Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja was shut down after the incident.
The event follows earlier crowd-safety incidents at Kolkata pujas. In 2021, Sreebhumi Sporting Club was shut down after three people were grievously injured in a stampede-like situation. In 2015, a near-stampede at Deshapriya Park injured around 11 people, after which the puja was shut down.
Former chief minister Mamata Banerjee expressed shock and sadness, while Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee called for an investigation and accountability. The final death toll, the verified number of injuries and the findings of the official inquiry remain pending.
