Death Toll in Kolkata Durga Puja Stampede Reaches 19
The tragic stampede during Durga Puja festivities in Kolkata has claimed 19 lives, prompting an investigation led by a High Court judge.
The stampede occurred on October 17, 2026, resulting in 19 fatalities.
West Bengal government announced ₹25 lakh compensation for each deceased's family.
CCTV footage is being reviewed to identify those responsible for crowd management.
On October 17, 2026, a stampede at a Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata resulted in a tragic death toll of 19, with two additional fatalities reported on Saturday. West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari confirmed that 17 individuals were declared dead upon arrival at Medical College and Hospital, while a child succumbed at R.G. Kar Medical College and another person died en route to a private healthcare facility.
In response to the incident, Chief Minister Adhikari announced that an investigation would be conducted under the supervision of a sitting judge from the Calcutta High Court. The Kolkata Police have secured CCTV footage from the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durgotsab pandal and are examining the actions of those responsible for crowd management during the event. Preliminary reports suggest that the stampede was triggered by misleading announcements made by the organizers, urging attendees to evacuate the pandal due to fears of structural collapse, compounded by panic from private security personnel using whistles.
The police are currently interrogating 12 individuals, including event organizers and volunteers, to gather more information about the circumstances surrounding the stampede, which occurred around 7:40 p.m. amid a heavy influx of visitors during rainfall. The state government has pledged compensation of ₹25 lakh to the families of each deceased victim and a job for one member of each bereaved family. Additionally, those injured in the incident will receive financial support of ₹5 lakh. Among the deceased, 13 were women, three were men, and one was a child, with two victims hailing from Bihar.
The Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal, themed ‘Arava’ (‘Beyond Sound’), had been drawing significant crowds prior to the incident but has since been closed. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who arrived in Kolkata on the same day, canceled his scheduled events to potentially visit the injured. The Trinamool Congress, backed by Mamata Banerjee, alleged connections between the Chief Minister and the organizing committee of the pandal where the stampede occurred.
As Durga Puja festivities continue until October 21, Chief Minister Adhikari has urged organizers to enhance safety measures and ensure proper lighting within pandals. The West Bengal government reports that approximately 57,400 Durga Pujas are being celebrated across the state this year.
