At least 17 people are feared dead after a stampede at the Chorebagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata on Saturday, according to a report by The Indian Express. The Prime Minister’s Office announced ex-gratia assistance of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of each person who died and Rs 50,000 for those injured.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the incident as “extremely distressing” in a post on X and said his thoughts were with those who had lost loved ones. He added that the local administration was providing all possible assistance to those affected. The compensation will be paid from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund, according to the announcement cited in the report.
The number of deaths was reported as “at least 17” and “feared” in the available account. The report did not provide a final official death toll or details on the number of injured people. It also did not specify what triggered the crowd surge, how many people were present at the pandal or whether any crowd-control or emergency-management measures had failed.
President Droupadi Murmu expressed condolences to the families of those who died and prayed for the swift recovery of those injured. In a post on X, she described the deaths at the Kolkata puja pandal as “extremely heartbreaking”.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said he had spoken with Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari about the incident. Shah said the administration was providing medical facilities to the injured and announced that he would postpone his scheduled programmes in West Bengal the following day to visit a hospital and meet them.
The incident occurred during Durga Puja, one of Kolkata’s largest annual public events, when temporary pandals and surrounding streets draw large crowds. Such gatherings place pressure on access routes, entry and exit points, pedestrian movement, emergency access and medical-response systems. The available report, however, does not establish whether any specific crowd-management arrangements contributed to the stampede.
Leader of Parliament Rahul Gandhi also expressed condolences and called for immediate medical treatment for the injured and a fair investigation. He appealed to Congress workers to assist with relief efforts.
The public statements released after the incident focused on condolences, medical care, compensation and an investigation. The next official steps are expected to include confirmation of the death and injury figures, treatment of the injured and an inquiry into the circumstances at the Chorebagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal.
