19 dead in stampede at Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata; seven arrested

Nineteen people have died in a stampede at a Durga Puja pandal in the Chorbagan area of north Kolkata. At least 25 others were hurt, and the condition of some of them is said to be critical. Police have arrested seven people, among them the secretary and the vice-president of the puja committee.

The tragedy happened on Saturday, October 17, at about 7.40 pm, within the limits of Girish Park police station. Crowds had come for darshan on Saptami when heavy rain began. People pressed into the pandal to get out of the downpour, and those at the entrance kept pushing in. Inside, the space ran out quickly and people began falling over one another.

Accounts differ on what set off the panic. One report says part of the pandal gave way under the weight of the crowd and a weak structure. A woman who was present says someone announced over the loudspeaker that part of the pandal might collapse, and people then rushed for the exit together. Police are trying to find out who made that announcement and why, and whether the structure was truly about to fall or it was only a rumour.

A 25-year-old man who lost his mother described the moments that followed. He had taken her to see the puja. Trapped under the crowd, he somehow got free and went back to where she had been, but she was gone. "I saw my mother die before my eyes. Perhaps I would not have survived either," he said.

The injured were taken to Calcutta Medical College Hospital. Police, emergency officials and the fire brigade reached the spot soon after, and the West Bengal government issued a helpline number, 18003455678. The administration cut the power and lighting at the pandal, regulated traffic on the roads outside for a time, and darshan has been suspended for now. The organisers were summoned to the police station.

Police found several lapses at the site. The entry and exit gates were too narrow for such a crowd, too few security personnel were deployed, and there was no plan for letting people in and out. A case has been registered under Sections 105, 110 and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Police detained 14 people and questioned them, then arrested seven. They include senior office-bearers of the committee, the people who built the pandal and those in charge of security. A forensic team has collected key evidence, CCTV footage is being examined and statements are being taken from eyewitnesses. Police say anyone found at fault will face strict action. The police personnel deployed at the pandal will also be questioned.

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari called the incident unfortunate. He has announced a special investigation team that will work under the supervision of a Calcutta High Court judge. Other pandals in the city will be inspected, and the state will give Rs 25 lakh to the families of the dead. Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Mr Adhikari are expected to visit the injured. Leaders have prayed for the injured to recover soon, and political workers have joined the relief effort. The administration has urged people to ignore rumours and take care in crowded places.