Kolkata Durga Puja Stampede: 19 Reported Dead at Chorbagan

At least 19 people were killed and around 35 injured in a stampede at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal in North Kolkata on October 17, India Today reported. The incident occurred at about 7.40 pm on Saptami evening as large crowds visited the venue despite rain.

Kolkata Police placed the stampede at the exit gate of the Sarada Park (Chor Bagan) pandal, within the Girish Park police station area. Injured visitors were taken to Calcutta Medical College and Hospital, while police, fire brigade personnel and disaster management teams were deployed. The pandal was subsequently shut to visitors.

The police statement cited in the report said around 35 people had been taken to hospital and that further details were awaited. State minister Umesh Rai separately confirmed deaths in the incident.

Exit gate and crowd conditions under scrutiny

Reports suggested that part of the pandal collapsed under pressure from the crowd. That account was not established as the cause of the stampede in the police statement cited by the outlet.

One witness, speaking to ANI, described people losing consciousness during the rush and being carried away on motorcycles. Another said the entrance and exit were narrow and the area was poorly lit; that witness said their daughter and granddaughter had been hospitalised. These accounts raise questions about access and crowd safety but do not, by themselves, establish responsibility.

Heavy rain had affected Kolkata and nearby areas from the afternoon. Showers resumed in the evening after a brief break, while devotees continued visiting pandals. Chorbagan was among the popular venues attracting visitors to its annual theme.

Committee resignations and medical response

Jayanta Banerjee, general secretary of the Chorbagan Durga Puja Committee, resigned after the incident. The report said the committee’s other office-bearers also confirmed their resignations.

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, Chief Secretary Manoj Agarwal and Health Minister Sharadwat Mukherjee visited Calcutta Medical College and Hospital. The administration said it was making arrangements for the treatment of those injured. The state government also announced an assistance helpline: 18003455678.

Relief announced; Shah postpones programmes

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

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said he had spoken to Adhikari and would postpone his West Bengal programmes scheduled for October 18 to visit the injured in hospital. Rai said state government programmes planned for that day had been cancelled.

Calls for an investigation and accountability

Rahul Gandhi called for immediate medical care and a fair investigation, and urged Congress workers to help with relief. President Droupadi Murmu, Governor RN Ravi and former chief minister Mamata Banerjee also expressed condolences.

The Trinamool Congress questioned the provision of police personnel, civic volunteers, ambulances and crowd management at the venue, and demanded accountability from Kolkata Police and the BJP administration. These were the party’s allegations, not established findings; the report did not include a response to those specific accusations.