The incident occurred around 7.30 pm on Saturday at one of north Kolkata’s popular Durga Puja venues, leaving 19 people dead and 25 others injured. Seven people, most of them organisers of the pandal, have been arrested in connection with the incident.
/pratidin/media/member_avatars/2025/05/21/2025-05-21t080305049z-8.png)
New Update
/pratidin/media/media_files/2026/10/20/kolkata-01-2026-10-20-21-18-13.png)
Police investigating the deadly stampede at Kolkata’s Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal have found no evidence to support claims that the structure was at risk of collapsing, even as investigators examine whether an announcement warning of a possible collapse triggered visitors.
The incident occurred around 7.30 pm on Saturday at one of north Kolkata’s popular Durga Puja venues, leaving 19 people dead and 25 others injured. Seven people, most of them organisers of the pandal, have been arrested in connection with the incident.
According to reports, investigators have not found evidence suggesting that any part of the pandal was in danger ofcollapsing.
Police are examining CCTV footage to reconstruct the sequence of events and establish how the situation escalated into a deadly crowd crush. Thirty cameras were installed across the premises, of which 13 covered the area where the incident occurred.
Preliminary analysis of the footage suggests that rainfall contributed to congestion near the exit, while the entry point remained open despite a large number of people inside the pandal. Investigators are examining why visitors were allegedly allowed to enter when the exit area was already crowded.
A microphone announcement warning that the pandal was in poor condition and could collapse is also under scrutiny. The message reportedly urged visitors to leave, allegedly triggering panic as people attempted to move through a narrow lane amid heavy rain and slippery streets on Saptami, the seventh day of Durga Puja.
Police are trying to determine who made the announcement and why it was issued. The role of the organisers and the circumstances surrounding crowd management are also being examined.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari had said that the preliminary investigation indicated that an announcement by the organisers led to the stampede-like situation.
Investigators are continuing to analyse the available footage and other evidence to establish responsibility for the tragedy.