How did a Durga Puja gathering in Kolkata turn deadly, killing 19?

New Delhi: Nineteen people were killed and 25 injured in a stampede at Kolkata’s Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal on Saturday evening, as a sudden rush of visitors led to people falling over one another near the crowded entrance. Heavy rain and congestion added to the difficult conditions.

Durga Puja is one of West Bengal’s biggest annual festivals, when temporary structures known as pandals are set up across cities. Thousands of devotees visit these decorated pandals to offer prayers, particularly during the festival’s main days. The Chorbagan pandal was crowded on Saturday as people gathered for Saptami, the seventh day of the celebrations.

What triggered the stampede in Kolkata?

The stampede broke out around 7.40pm amid heavy rain, with a large number of visitors gathering near the pandal’s narrow entrance and approach road. As the crowd surged, people reportedly stumbled and fell over one another, leaving several dead and others injured. The injured were taken to hospitals for treatment.

The West Bengal chief minister, Suvendu Adhikari, said initial reports from officials at the scene suggested that an announcement made over a loudspeaker by the organizers may have triggered the rush. According to reports, two victims said that whistles blown by private security guards caused panic among people waiting to enter the pandal to surge forward.

Concerns have also been raised about dim lighting, with more focus on the pandal’s decoration than people’s safety, crowded entry and exit routes, and security arrangements that allegedly focused on the VIP entrance. But these factors have not been confirmed as the cause of the stampede.

Investigators are reviewing CCTV footage, eye-witness accounts and forensic evidence to piece together the chain of events and find out if any safety or crowd management lapses played a part in the tragedy.

Police have arrested seven people, including puja committee secretary Raj Kumar Sewda and vice-president Santanu Dubey, as RNA Media reported. Those arrested also include people linked to pandal construction, crowd control and private security. Police have registered a case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder as the investigation continues.

Compensation announced as safety review begins

Adhikari announced compensation of ₹25 lakh and a government job for the family of each deceased person. He also announced a judicial investigation and urged Durga Puja organizers across West Bengal to follow police and fire brigade instructions on lighting, entry and exit points, and crowd management.

The chief minister said around 58,000 Durga Puja celebrations were taking place across the state. State government programmes scheduled from Sunday were cancelled as a mark of mourning, although religious observances were allowed to continue.