At least 17 people were killed and several others injured in a stampede at Kolkata’s Chorebagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal on Saturday, prompting police to close several major puja sites across the city as authorities began responding to the tragedy.
The injured were taken to Calcutta Medical College and Hospital, according to the police. The circumstances that led to the crowd surge were not fully established in the information available, but Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said organisers and private security guards had been detained in connection with the incident.
Adhikari said he had been briefed that an announcement was made over loudspeakers by the organisers before the stampede. “As per I was briefed, there was some announcement by the organisers on loudspeakers after which the incident took place,” he said, adding that he and his team were at the hospital.
The incident led the police to close Suruchi Sangha, Chetla Agrani and several other major Durga Puja pandals to visitors as a precautionary measure. Tala Prattoy also announced that its pandal would remain closed until further notice. The closures are intended to limit visitor movement while authorities respond to the deaths and injuries, although the source report did not provide details of the wider crowd-management plan.
The tragedy occurred during one of Kolkata’s busiest periods for public gatherings, when large numbers of visitors typically move through temporary pandal structures and surrounding streets. The incident has placed attention on the responsibilities of organisers, private security personnel and the police in managing access, announcements and crowd movement at high-footfall venues. The available report did not establish whether the pandal had exceeded a permitted capacity or identify the specific point at which the crowd surge began.
President Droupadi Murmu expressed sorrow over the deaths and conveyed condolences to the families of the deceased. She also wished the injured a speedy recovery. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced ex-gratia assistance of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund for the next of kin of each person killed and Rs 50,000 for every injured person.
Modi described the incident as “extremely distressing” and said the local administration was providing assistance to those affected. Union Home Minister Amit Shah said he had spoken with Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari about the incident and that he would visit the injured and victims after cancelling his scheduled programme in West Bengal for the following day.
The immediate official response now includes medical treatment for the injured, identification and support for the families of those killed, and restrictions at other major Durga Puja venues. The source report did not specify the number of injured people, the identities of the deceased, or the next stage of the investigation into the stampede.
