World

Kolkata Durga Puja Stampede Leaves 19 Dead; 12 Detained

A stampede at a Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata resulted in at least 19 fatalities and multiple injuries, prompting investigations and emergency responses.

18 October 2026Tagblick Newsdesk

AI-generatedWritten by an AI system, editorially responsible — how we work

Kolkata Durga Puja Stampede Leaves 19 Dead; 12 Detained — Photo: Milandeep Sarkar · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

A stampede occurred at a Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata, resulting in at least 19 deaths and around 25 injuries. The incident took place amid heavy rainfall, which led to an influx of attendees rushing toward the entrance, overwhelming the space. Eyewitnesses described chaotic scenes, with reports of individuals fainting due to the conditions reported in several sources. A local resident noted the inadequate lighting and narrow exits and entrances as contributing factors to the panic.

Emergency services responded rapidly, transporting the injured to Calcutta Medical College and Hospital for treatment. Among the victims was a seven-year-old girl, as confirmed by West Bengal's Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. Eyewitness accounts described the distressing moments as families sought refuge inside the pandal to escape the rain, only for the situation to escalate into chaos.

In connection with the incident, police detained 12 individuals, including the organisers of the Chorebagan Durga Puja, to facilitate an investigation. A sitting High Court judge has been appointed to probe the circumstances surrounding the stampede, with officials stating that they will scrutinise CCTV footage to understand what went wrong.

Following the stampede, various other puja pandals, including Santosh Mitra Square, temporarily restricted visitor access to ensure safety. The pandemic raised concerns about crowd management during large gatherings, particularly during festive occasions. Local authorities are reviewing safety protocols to prevent future incidents.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his distress regarding the incident and announced temporary compensation for the victims' families. The response from government officials has been swift, with Health Minister Saradwat Mukherjee among those who visited the injured, showing the gravity with which the situation is being addressed.

As investigations continue, the community grapples with the aftermath and emotional toll of this tragedy. Concerns regarding crowd control and safety measures during significant events like Durga Puja are now at the forefront of discussions, as the community seeks answers and preventive measures to avoid a repeat of such a tragic occurrence.

This item was written by an AI system on the basis of the headlines and short teasers of the independently operating newsrooms named below. We disclose this under Art. 50(4), second subparagraph, of Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 (AI Act). Before publication we check origin and verifiability — anything that appears in only one place is not published — as well as language, substance and legally sensitive content. No separate substantive review of each individual item by a natural person takes place; we therefore do not rely on the exemption in Art. 50(4), second subparagraph, of the AI Act. Editorial responsibility for this publication rests with the person named in the imprint (§ 18 Abs. 2 MStV). Please report errors to [email protected] — we will correct or remove the item. Full reports are available from the sources listed.