19 dead, 25 hurt in stampede at religious gathering in India

Kolkata, eastern India witnessed a devastating stampede on Saturday, leaving at least 19 people dead and 25 injured. The tragedy occurred during the Hindu festival of Durga Puja, as sudden rainfall caused panic among the crowd waiting outside a pavilion. Chief Minister Suvendhu Adhikari confirmed the deaths, including a seven-year-old girl, and the injuries.

Six bodies have been identified at this time. The incident unfolded when an announcement, likely prompted by the rain, triggered a rush among the people, who pushed and pulled each other, resulting in a chaotic scene. Medics rushed the injured to local hospitals, including a police officer. Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his condolences via Facebook, urging the bereaved families and the injured for a quick recovery.

The West Bengal government pledged to support the affected families. Adhikari initially reported 17 fatalities, but this number increased to 19 after further clarification. Nine bodies have already been released to their families, and authorities are investigating the incident, focusing on CCTV footage for potential action against those responsible for inadequate crowd control.

Reports suggest the area had narrow lanes, restricting the flow of people and potentially contributing to the stampede. Such deadly crowd incidents are unfortunately common at gatherings in India, often due to poor management and safety lapses. Earlier this year, a stampede at the Kumbh Mela religious fair claimed 30 lives, while another at a cricket team's celebrations in Bengaluru resulted in 11 deaths.

In Tamil Nadu, a rally for a popular actor-politician saw 36 fatalities. In 2024, 121 people were killed in Uttar Pradesh during a Hindu religious gathering.