Durga Puja Pandal Stampede: At least 18 people were killed and 25 others injured in a stampede at the Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata on Saturday evening. The incident occurred around 7 pm amid heavy rain and lightning.

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, who visited Kolkata Medical College and Hospital where the victims were taken, said that one of the 25 injured people was in critical condition.

Durga Puja Organisers Taken Into Custody

According to the Chief Minister, an announcement made by the organisers of the community Durga Puja at Chorbagan, near Chittaranjan Avenue in north Kolkata, triggered panic and a stampede among devotees, resulting in what he described as a “tragic incident.”

He said officials of the Chorbagan Durga Puja organising club, private security guards and officials deployed on duty had been taken into custody.

A senior official said that as soon as it began raining, the crowd waiting outside the pandal surged forward, causing some people to fall onto the road. Several visitors alleged that inadequate security arrangements by Kolkata Police contributed to the stampede.

Officials and Chief Secretary Manoj Agarwal visited the government hospital where the injured were admitted.

12 People Detained

The Chief Minister said that six of the deceased had been identified so far and arrangements were being made to bring their family members to the hospital. He said the incident was being investigated and strict action would be taken.

Kolkata Police said 12 people, including puja organisers, volunteers and others, had been detained following the stampede at a Durga Puja pandal in the Chorbagan area. They are being questioned.

Temporary Closure Advisory for Other Durga Puja Pandals

Following the incident, the administration advised several crowded puja venues to temporarily close their pandals. Kolkata has around 3,500 pandals for Durga Puja celebrations.

The West Bengal government has also launched a toll-free helpline following the incident. People seeking information related to the incident can call 18003455678, the state government said.

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