States » EastPosted at: Oct 17 2026 11:43PM


17 killed, at least 25 injured in stampede-like situation at Kolkata Durga Puja pandal: Bengal CM Adhikari

Kolkata, Oct 17 (UNI) At least 17 people, including a seven-year-old child, were killed and around 25 others injured in a stampede-like situation at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata on Saturday evening, casting a shadow over the festive celebrations on Saptami.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said a wrong announcement by the organisers might have triggered the incident.
“So far the information received by us points to a wrong announcement made by the organisers that could have possibly led to the stampede. Our priority now is to treat the 25 people who have been injured and stand by the families of the 17 who have lost their lives,” Adhikari said, describing the incident as “extremely tragic”.
The incident prompted several major puja organisers to close their pandals to visitors as a precaution.
Locals alleged negligence by the police in managing the large crowd gathered at the pandal. They also claimed that no police officers were present when the incident occurred and that the police, fire department and Disaster Management Group (DMG) were absent during the rescue efforts, leaving local residents to step in. The allegations could not be independently verified immediately.
The incident occurred around 7.40 pm near the exit gate of the Sarada Park (Chorbagan) Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal in the Girish Park police station area, as large crowds gathered amid rain, police sources said.
The injured were taken to Calcutta Medical College and Hospital, Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College and Hospital, and R G Kar Medical College and Hospital.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to Adhikari following the incident and said he would postpone his scheduled programmes in West Bengal on Sunday to visit the injured in hospital.
In a post on his official X handle, Shah said he was “extremely” distressed by reports of multiple casualties and expressed condolences to the bereaved families. He said the administration was arranging the best possible medical treatment for the injured and prayed for their speedy recovery.
Police, fire brigade personnel, disaster management teams and ambulances with medical teams were deployed at the site following the incident. The Chorbagan pandal was subsequently closed to visitors.
Several prominent puja organisers also announced precautionary closures. Tridhara Sammilani in south Kolkata, Chetla Agrani and Santosh Mitra Square shut their pandals to visitors, while Tala Prattoy also closed its pandal on Saptami.
The closures came as thousands of visitors continued to throng major puja venues across Kolkata on Saptami, traditionally one of the busiest days of the five-day festival.
Authorities were investigating the circumstances that led to the crowd surge at the Chorbagan pandal, including the alleged announcement by the organisers, crowd management and the movement of visitors towards the exit during the rain.
The Kolkata Police Lalbazar Control Room issued the following helplines for information relating to the incident: 18003455678 and 03322141310. UNI SEN/ BGA SSP NST CDS
Tags: #17 killed# at least 25 injured in stampede-like situation at Kolkata Durga Puja pandal: Bengal CM Adhikari
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