19 killed, 25 injured in stampede at India's Durga Puja festival

Kolkata, India experienced a tragic event on Saturday when a stampede occurred during a Hindu religious gathering, Durga Puja festival, due to sudden rainfall. At least 19 people lost their lives, while 25 others were injured outside a pavilion. West Bengal's Chief Minister, Suvendhu Adhikari, informed reporters that the fatalities included a seven-year-old girl, and six bodies have been identified so far.

The commotion began when it started raining at night, causing the crowd waiting outside the pandal to push, pull, and rush forward, ultimately leading to the tragic stampede. Medics were seen carrying injured individuals on stretchers, including a police officer, to a local hospital. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences on Facebook, stating that the tragedy was deeply saddening and offering his sympathies to the bereaved families.

The West Bengal Government is providing all possible assistance to the affected families. Adhikari initially reported 17 fatalities, but later revised the death toll to 19. Nine dead bodies have already been released to their families. Authorities are reviewing closed-circuit footage from the festival to take action against those who failed to manage the crowd properly.

Videos taken prior to the incident showed large crowds waiting to enter the narrow pavilion, which allowed only a few people to pass at a time. Crowd control lapses and poor management during large events like religious festivals are unfortunately common in India. Last year, a stampede at the Kumbh Mela religious fair claimed 30 lives, while in Bengaluru, 11 fans were crushed to death during a cricket team's celebratory event.

In Tamil Nadu, 36 people died after a stampede broke out at a politician's campaign rally, and in 2024, 121 people were killed during a Hindu religious gathering in Uttar Pradesh.