At least 19 people were killed, 35 people were injured, five of them critically, in a near-stampede situation at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal in North Kolkata on Saturday, according to PTI.
The injured were rushed to the emergency department of Calcutta Medical College for treatment. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, Chief Secretary Manoj Agarwal and the Kolkata Police Commissioner visited the hospital to meet the injured.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the loss of lives in the tragic incident and announced a Rs. 2 lakh compensation for the bereaved families and Rs. 50,000 to the families of the injured.
Following the stampede at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal, the organisers and private security personnel have been detained by Kolkata Police.
Sources said a stampede occurred near the exit gate of the Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal at around 7 pm on Saturday due to an overwhelming rush of visitors and sudden rain. Eight people, including two police personnel, two infants and two women, sustained injuries and were admitted to Calcutta Medical College and Hospital.
Visitors said overwhelming crowds led to severe congestion inside the pandal, with several people falling ill due to overcrowding and heat. Eyewitnesses alleged that the situation had been building since Friday, with excessive crowds and high temperatures causing distress among visitors. Following the incident, Kolkata Police immediately closed the pandal to visitors. However, a large crowd gathered outside after being denied entry, with some people allegedly resorting to vandalism at the pandal. The pandal remains closed to visitors for darshan, and the situation is being closely monitored.
They also pointed to the pandal’s narrow entrance, saying it contributed to severe congestion during sudden surges in footfall.
An eyewitness said several people lost consciousness amid the massive crowd, with some being taken away on motorcycles. The eyewitness added that they saw multiple people fainting and being transported on bikes.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said he was deeply distressed by reports of multiple casualties in the stampede at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata. He said he had spoken to Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari about the incident and extended his condolences to the families of those who lost their lives.
Shah added that the administration was making arrangements to ensure the best possible medical treatment for the injured. He also announced that he was postponing all his scheduled programmes in West Bengal on Sunday to visit the injured in hospital, and prayed to Maa Durga for their speedy recovery.
Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said she was deeply shocked and saddened by the stampede at the Chore Bagan Puja Pandal. She prayed to Maa Durga for the speedy recovery of those injured and for strength and courage for their families during the difficult time.
West Bengal Governor RN Ravi expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives in the stampede at a Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata and extended his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. He also prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured.
The TMC has also hit out at the ruling BJP in a post on X. The Trinamool Congress questioned why adequate police cover wasn’t present at the location to deal with the stampede-like situation. The party also accused the BJP of tending to the VIPs and ignoring the common public.
In the wake of an incident at the ‘Chorbagan Sarbojanin’ Durga Puja pandal in North Kolkata, the West Bengal government has launched a toll-free helpline—18003455678—which can be called to obtain information regarding the incident.
