West Bengal CM meets families of deceased in Kolkata puja pandal stampede

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Tuesday (October 20, 2026) called on the family members of those who died in a stampede at Kolkata Durga Puja pandal on October 17.

Mr. Adhikari visited the families of the deceased across several districts Purba Bardhaman, Howrah, Nadia and Hooghly and expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased. The Chief Minister handed over a cheque of ₹25 lakh to the relatives. He also assured government job for one person in every family.

At Purba Bardhaman, Mr. Adhikari spoke to the family members of Togor Bej (37) and Sandip Bej (14) and assured them of providing all possible assistance. “I have no words to console you, nor do I have the power to bring back those who have left us. I can feel your pain. I am giving you the ₹25 lakh ex gratia,” the Chief Minister told the family members at their residence in Madhavdighi area in Purba Bardhaman district.

After the tragedy claimed 19 lives on Saturday evening, Mr. Adhikari had announced that he will personally visit the families of the deceased and hand over compensation cheques.

From Purba Bardhaman, the Chief Minister went to Arambagh in Hooghly where he met the family members of Piyali Pramanik who lost her life in the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja disaster. Mr. Adhikari also handed over financial assistance cheques to the family members of Aarti Sarkar, a resident of Chakdah in Nadia and Akriti Raut, a resident of Liluah in Howrah.

No celebrations

The Chief Minister said that because of the tragedy, the State government was not indulging in any kind of celebrations and just following Durga Puja rituals this season. Mr. Adhikari continued to take a dig at the previous government and cited instances of similar tragedies in the previous government, including death by electrocution of 13 people in 2025 and flash floods in north Bengal. The tragedy struck at the first Durga Puja organised by the BJP government.

Seven persons have been arrested in connection with the October 17 tragedy and booked under several Sections, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The West Bengal government has decided to hold an investigation by a sitting judge of the Calcutta High Court into the incident.