At least 19 people lost their lives in a stampede at a Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata’s Girish Park area. Sudden rain, narrow entry and exit points, and a surge of visitors reportedly contributed to the tragedy. The incident has raised questions about crowd management, police deployment and safety arrangements at large public gatherings. Could better planning and crowd regulation have prevented the deaths?
Updated - October 19, 2026 01:18 pm IST