19 Killed in Stampede at Kolkata Durga Puja Pandal; Judicial Probe Ordered

At least 19 people are dead and 25 more are injured after a stampede at a Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata.

The crush happened around 7:40 p.m. Saturday at the exit gate of the Chorbagan Sarbojanin pandal, in the Girish Park police station area. Heavy rain was falling and a large crowd had gathered for Saptami, the seventh day of the festival.

Kolkata Police said in an official statement that the stampede occurred “due to heavy crowds of pandal visitors amid rain.” The injured were taken to Calcutta Medical College and Hospital. Eight were in critical condition.

“As of now, 19 people have died, and 25 are undergoing treatment,” West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said Saturday night after visiting the hospital. He announced ₹25 lakh and a government job for the family of each person who died, and ₹5 lakh for each injured person, with all treatment costs covered.

Six of the dead had been identified by Saturday night. The dead include 13 women and one child, officials said. Among them were Sriparna Poddar, 26; Akriti Kumari, 17; and a married couple, Dilip Ghosh, 59, and Deepali Ghosh.

A team headed by a sitting judge of the Calcutta High Court will investigate the incident, Adhikari said. Police detained 12 people on Saturday night — the puja organisers, private security guards and on-duty staff — for questioning.

According to initial reports from officials at the spot, an announcement on the organisers’ loudspeaker set off a rush among the crowd. Adhikari also said the blowing of whistles by private security guards caused people waiting outside to surge.

Witnesses described narrow gates and no lighting in the area. “The entrance was very narrow, and the exit gate was also narrow,” one man told ANI. His daughter and granddaughter were hospitalized.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced ₹2 lakh for the next of kin of each person who died and ₹50,000 for the injured, from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund.

Kolkata Police shut the pandal to visitors and activated an emergency helpline: 1800 345 5678.