‘Pandal will collapse’: The warning that may have triggered Kolkata Durga Puja stampede that killed 19

A warning that a Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata could collapse may have triggered panic among visitors, contributing to a stampede that killed 19 people and injured 25 on Saturday evening. Police are investigating the authenticity of a purported video that captured the announcement, which warned that the pandal was in very poor condition and might collapse, urging visitors to leave.

The exact sequence of events remains under investigation, with police examining possible crowd-management failures, unclear announcements, narrow gates, and a sudden influx of people seeking shelter from heavy rain.

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