19 dead, 25 hurt in stampede at India religious gathering

KOLKATA, India (AFP)—At least 19 people were killed and two dozen more injured Saturday in eastern India after a stampede that occurred during sudden rainfall at a Hindu religious gathering, officials and Indian media said. West Bengal's Chief Minister Suvendhu Adhikari told reporters the fatalities included a seven-year-old girl, adding that 25 other people were injured outside a pavilion "in a stampede" at the Hindu festival of Durga Puja in the city of Kolkata. "Six bodies have so far been identified," Adhikari said. A senior police official at the scene told AFP an announcement caused "commotion" after it started raining at night and the "crowd waiting outside the pandal (pavilion) was pushing, pulling and rushing forward and fell on the ground, leading to the stampede." Afterwards medics were seen moving injured people on stretchers, including a police officer, into a local hospital. Several relatives of victims cried and held one another as they mourned the loss of loved ones. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the tragedy in a short statement on Facebook. "The stampede in Kolkata is saddening. Condolences to the bereaved families. Wishing the injured a speedy recovery," he wrote. "The West Bengal Government is providing all possible help to the affected families." Adhikari originally announced 17 fatalities. The Press Trust of India (PTI) reported the death toll rose by two to 19, quoting Adhikari in a later statement. Nine dead bodies have been released to their families, the PTI reported. It also said police have taken the closed circuit footage of the festival and authorities would initiate action against those seen on CCTV who appeared to fail in their responsibility for crowd control. Videos shot before the stampede appeared to show large crowds of people waiting to enter the pavilion, in an area with narrow lanes that allow only a few people to walk in at a time, according to Indian Express. Deadly crowd incidents are a frequent occurrence at Indian mass events, such as religious festivals, due to poor management and safety lapses. Last year, a stampede at India's Kumbh Mela religious fair killed 30 people and injured several others, and 11 fans were crushed to death in Bengaluru during celebrations for the local cricket team's first Indian Premier League title. The same year, 36 people were killed after a stampede broke out at a campaign rally of a popular actor-turned-politician in southern Tamil Nadu state. In 2024, 121 people were killed in northern Uttar Pradesh state during a Hindu religious gathering.