At least 19 people died and 25 were injured after a stampede at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata on Saturday evening, prompting the authorities to shut the site, cancel government programmes and begin a probe into crowd management and emergency access.
The incident took place around 7.30pm at the pandal on Radhamadhab Saha Lane in Machuabazar, when hundreds of visitors became trapped in a narrow, curved passage leading to an exit. The passage had reportedly been closed because of rain, and pressure from the crowd behind caused people at the front to fall and be trampled.
Chief minister Suvendu Adhikari confirmed that 17 people died at the spot and two died while being taken to hospital. He said 25 people were injured. Additional commissioner of police (crime) Kunal Agarwal said in a written statement that the stampede occurred around 7.40pm at the exit gate of the Sarada Park, or Chor Bagan, Puja Pandal in the Girish Park police station area because of heavy rain and a large crowd of pandal visitors.
The police said injured people were rescued and taken to Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata. Reinforcement from the police control room, fire brigade, Kolkata Police, disaster management teams and ambulances with medical personnel was sent to the site. Agarwal said around 35 people had been taken to the hospital, while details were still being collected.
Visitors described difficult conditions inside the pandal, including inadequate lighting and a loss of air-conditioning as the crowd grew. One survivor said a flight of steps near the exit became congested, with several people falling and others tripping over them. A section of the pandal was reportedly ripped open to remove people who were trapped. Images shared on social media showed injured people lying on the road while visitors and volunteers attempted to help them.
The Chorbagan puja, located near the Ram Mandir in an area known for narrow lanes, is in its 91st year and had attracted large crowds since its inauguration on October 12. This year’s theme was “Beyond Sound”, with an elevated gallery-like structure encircling the idol and allowing visitors to view it from all sides. The police are examining whether the gallery, the rain and the restricted movement near the exit contributed to the crowd build-up.
The police sealed the pandal and began collecting CCTV footage to establish why visitors near the exit were unable to move out while more people continued to gather behind them. The chief minister said a fact-finding exercise would determine the cause and announced a special investigation team headed by a sitting judge. He also asked puja committees to make necessary changes and said no one would be spared if wrongdoing was established.
The state government cancelled its programmes scheduled for Sunday. The chief minister and health minister Sharadwat Mukherjee visited the hospital, while the health department directed senior doctors to report there. The chief minister announced an ex gratia payment of ₹25 lakh and a Group D government job for the families of the dead, along with ₹5 lakh for each injured person. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced ₹2 lakh for the next of kin of each deceased person and ₹50,000 for every injured person.
Kolkata Police opened helplines at 18003455678 and 033 22143130. The sealed site remains under investigation as police, forensic teams and fire officials examine the exit layout, crowd movement and the emergency response.
