At least 17 people are feared dead after a stampede at the Chorebagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata on Saturday, prompting the Prime Minister’s Office to announce financial assistance for the families of those killed and for the injured.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund for the next of kin of each person who lost their life. Those injured will receive Rs 50,000, according to the announcement cited by the Indian Express report.
Calling the incident “extremely distressing”, Modi said on X that his thoughts were with the families who had lost loved ones and wished the injured a speedy recovery. He added that the local administration was providing all possible assistance to those affected.
President Droupadi Murmu also expressed condolences to the families of those who died. Describing the incident as “extremely heartbreaking”, she prayed for the swift recovery of those injured.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said he had spoken to West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari about the incident. Shah said the administration was providing medical care to the injured and announced that he would postpone his scheduled programmes in West Bengal the following day to visit them in hospital.
The incident occurred at a Durga Puja pandal, a temporary public venue that draws large crowds during the festival period. The report did not provide details on what triggered the stampede, the number of people injured, the hospitals receiving patients, or the crowd-control arrangements at the venue.
Leader of Parliament Rahul Gandhi also conveyed condolences to the families of the deceased and urged the administration to ensure immediate and proper treatment for those injured. He called for a fair investigation into the incident and asked Congress workers to assist with relief efforts.
The available report did not include details of an official inquiry, the final confirmed death toll, or the next steps announced by the local administration. Amit Shah said he would visit the injured in hospital, while authorities continued to provide assistance to those affected.
