A stampede at a Durga Puja mandap in Chorbagan, Kolkata, has reportedly killed 17 people and injured several others, prompting the state government to announce a special investigation team and financial assistance for the victims’ families. Kolkata Police has detained 12 people in connection with the incident, according to Sangbad Pratidin.
The incident took place at about 7.40 pm on Saptami evening as visitors were leaving the puja mandap. The report said eyewitnesses claimed that a series of announcements over the public-address system was followed by panic and a rush near the exit. Several people fell while attempting to leave, leading to the deaths and injuries.
Police are examining whether there were shortcomings in crowd-control arrangements, security deployment and the design of entry and exit routes at the mandap. The detained individuals are being questioned as investigators seek to establish how the crowd movement became unmanageable and whether any lapse contributed to the incident.
After visiting the site, the chief minister described the incident as tragic and said public safety must take precedence over thematic decoration. The source reported that the chief minister urged puja organisers to follow the advice of the fire services and administration while designing and operating their mandaps.
The state government has said that it will seek the involvement of a sitting judge of the Calcutta High Court in overseeing the investigation. According to the report, the chief minister said a letter would be sent to the Chief Justice of the High Court requesting the appointment of a current judge, under whose supervision the special investigation team would examine the incident.
The chief minister visited Kolkata Medical College after receiving news of the incident and met the families of those who died as well as injured survivors. The state government has taken responsibility for the treatment of the injured, while police have cordoned off the Chorbagan mandap as the investigation continues.
The government has announced financial assistance of Rs 25 lakh and one government job for each bereaved family, the report said. The Centre has separately announced Rs 2 lakh in assistance for the families of those who died. The source did not provide the total number of injured people or identify the 12 detained individuals.
The incident has placed renewed attention on how Kolkata’s high-footfall puja venues manage visitor movement during peak hours. Mandap layouts, public announcements, emergency exits, fire-safety compliance and coordination between organisers, police and civic authorities are central to determining whether large crowds can be moved safely through temporary structures.
The state government has also said that a special team would visit prominent Kolkata puja mandaps on Sunday. The Chorbagan venue remains under police watch while investigators question those detained and examine the arrangements that were in place when the stampede occurred.
