Two teenage girls from New Town died after being caught in a crowd crush at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin puja pandal in north Kolkata on Saturday, with their bodies returning to their Gouranganagar homes on Sunday afternoon, according to a report by Sangbad Pratidin.
The victims were identified as 17-year-old Barnali Haldar and 18-year-old Tania Biswas, residents of the Gauranganagar New Palli area. They had gone out to visit puja pandals with five other friends, with the group planning to visit several locations across Kolkata during the festival.
According to the report, the situation at the Chorbagan pandal became chaotic after an excessive crowd gathered at the venue. A sudden rush and disorder reportedly developed among visitors, leaving Barnali and Tania critically injured in the crowd crush. They were rescued and taken to hospital, where doctors declared them dead.
Their bodies reached their homes in New Town on Sunday afternoon. Family members and neighbours were reported to have broken down after the bodies arrived, while preparations for the last rites began in a sombre atmosphere. Residents said the two girls had grown up together and were close friends.
The deaths have also brought attention to the immediate safety risks created when large festival crowds gather at confined public venues. The report does not provide details of the pandal’s crowd-control arrangements, the number of visitors present, or whether any official inquiry has been announced.
Pijush Kanoria, the MLA from Rajarhat New Town, visited the grieving families after the bodies arrived and offered his condolences. Speaking to the media, he recalled that one of the girls had recently wanted to gift him a tree. “Such a tragic end is impossible to accept,” he said, while praying that no one else would have to face a similar day.
Kanoria also said that one mother had lost her child and that the family’s grief could not be erased, adding that he and the local community would continue to stand by the bereaved families. The report did not mention any further official statement on the incident or identify the next administrative step.
