A stampede at the Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata killed 19 people and injured 25 others on Saturday evening after a sudden downpour triggered a crowd surge, according to a report by Times of India – Kolkata. The incident occurred around 7.30pm as hundreds of revellers rushed inside the crowded venue for shelter, trapping people who were already inside.
The administration sealed the pandal after the incident. The venue was among three pandals adjudged ‘Serar-sera’ by the state government this year, making it a major crowd-puller during the Durga Puja celebrations.
Chief minister Suvendu Adhikari visited a hospital and met the families of those who died. He said the incident would be probed and that action would be taken based on the findings. The chief minister also said the pandal had been handed over to forensic teams, the Special Task Force and the fire brigade for investigation.
“As per initial information received, the incident happened due to an announcement made by the puja committee,” Adhikari said, according to the report. He added that the immediate priority was to treat the injured. Of the 25 people injured, 24 were stable and one was reported to be in critical condition.
Local residents who reached the site first said crowd-management arrangements were inadequate. One resident told Times of India – Kolkata that there were not enough police personnel or volunteers at the venue. The report also said the chief minister blamed the organisers’ alleged carelessness and appealed to puja committees across Kolkata to ensure proper lighting and adopt safety measures at their pandals.
The state government announced compensation of Rs 25 lakh and a government job for the next of kin of each person who died. It also announced Rs 5 lakh for each injured person. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an additional compensation of Rs 2 lakh for the families of the dead and Rs 50,000 for those injured.
In a post on X, Modi described the stampede as “extremely distressing” and said the local administration was providing assistance to those affected. Union home minister Amit Shah also expressed condolences and said he would postpone his scheduled programmes in West Bengal to visit the injured in hospital.
The incident took place on the first of the two Saptami days in the 2026 puja calendar, when large numbers of people visit prominent pandals across Kolkata. The account supplied by the report links the crowd surge to the sudden rain and the movement of people seeking shelter, while the authorities’ investigation is expected to establish the sequence of events and the adequacy of arrangements at the venue.
The Chorbagan pandal remains sealed as forensic teams, the Special Task Force and the fire brigade examine the site. The state government has asked puja committees to review lighting and safety measures following the tragedy.
