UPDATED: Oct 18, 2026 12:03 IST
A stampede at a Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata claimed the lives of 19 people after severe rainfall triggered panic and overcrowding. According to eyewitness accounts, poor crowd segregation, narrow entry and exit points, and inadequate official deployment aggravated the crisis as visitors rushed inside for shelter. Wet staircases near the exit gate created a critical choke point where several people slipped and were crushed by the surging crowd. Seventeen individuals were declared dead on arrival at the hospital, while two others succumbed to injuries later. Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited the injured undergoing treatment at Apollo Hospital alongside Suvendu Adhikari. Meanwhile, Kolkata Police registered an FIR at Girish Park Police Station and arrested seven persons, including the puja committee's secretary and vice president, under charges including negligence and culpable homicide. The Centre announced an ex gratia of two lakh rupees for the next of kin of the deceased, while the state government announced compensation of 25 lakh rupees and a government job.
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