- A stampede broke out at a Durga Puja festival in Kolkata, eastern India, on Saturday night, leaving at least 19 people dead
- West Bengal's Chief Minister confirmed a seven-year-old girl was among the fatalities, with 25 others injured outside the festival pavilion
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi issued a statement expressing condolences as authorities worked to identify victims
Amos Khaemba, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over four years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.
At least 19 people died and approximately 25 others sustained injuries following a stampede at a Durga Puja religious festival in Kolkata, eastern India, on Saturday night, according to officials and Indian media reports.
Source: Getty Images
West Bengal's Chief Minister Suvendhu Adhikari confirmed the death toll to reporters, noting that the victims included a seven-year-old girl.
He added that six bodies had been identified at the time of his statement, with 25 people injured outside the festival pavilion.
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What triggered the Kolkata stampede
A senior police official present at the scene told AFP that an announcement set off a wave of panic shortly after rain began falling during the night.
The crowd gathered outside the pandal, the temporary pavilion erected for the festival, began pushing and pulling against one another in a rush to take cover, ultimately falling to the ground and triggering the deadly crush.
Medical personnel were subsequently seen transporting injured individuals on stretchers into a nearby hospital, among them a police officer. Relatives of those who died gathered at the scene, visibly distraught, consoling one another as they mourned.
Modi responds to the tragedy
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the incident in a statement published on Facebook, describing it as saddening.
"The stampede in Kolkata is saddening. Condolences to the bereaved families. Wishing the injured a speedy recovery. The West Bengal Government is providing all possible help to the affected families," Modi said.
Durga Puja is one of the largest and most widely celebrated Hindu festivals in West Bengal, drawing enormous crowds each year across the state, particularly in Kolkata, where pandals are constructed in virtually every neighbourhood to mark the occasion.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
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