Mohit Singh
At least 17 people were killed and 25 others injured in a stampede-like situation at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata on Saturday evening, after heavy rain triggered a sudden rush of visitors at the pandal’s exit gate. The incident occurred at around 7:40 pm on October 17, 2026, in the area under the Girish Park police station, and the toll is likely to rise, police told PTI.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari told PTI, “Seventeen people were brought dead to Calcutta Medical College and Hospital, while 25 others are injured.” One of the injured was reported to be in a critical condition.
What triggered the tragedy
According to a senior police officer, the crowd waiting outside the pandal surged forward as the rainfall intensified, and several people fell on the road, triggering a stampede-like situation. Kolkata Police said in an initial statement that the stampede occurred at the exit gate of the Sarada Park (Chorbagan) puja pandal amid heavy crowds of pandal-hoppers and rainfall, and that all injured persons had been rescued and shifted to Medical College and Hospital for treatment. About 35 people were taken to the hospital in the first wave of rescue, according to police information.
The chief minister said a panic announcement made by the organisers of the community Durga Puja at Chorbagan, off Chittaranjan Avenue, led to a rush among the revellers, causing what he called the “painful incident”.
Investigation and action on the ground
Adhikari said a fact-finding team would determine exactly what happened, and that Kolkata Police had been instructed to detain the private security personnel and the puja organisers. A forensic examination will be conducted, and the chief minister asked the media and political leaders not to tamper with evidence at the scene. The state government also issued a toll-free helpline, 18003455678, for people seeking information or assistance related to the incident. The pandal was closed to visitors after the incident to prevent further crowding.
The chief minister, along with Chief Secretary Manoj Agarwal, visited the injured at Calcutta Medical College and Hospital, and Health Minister Saradwat Mukherjee also rushed there with senior officials. IANS reported that the puja organisers and the private security personnel deployed at the venue were detained by police, and the organisers were later summoned to the police station. Puja organiser Vikas Das said the cause of the incident had not yet been established and the immediate priority was to ensure the injured received medical attention.
Some reports suggested that a possible partial collapse of part of the pandal’s structure may have worsened the situation, but the exact cause remains unconfirmed and is expected to be established by the fact-finding team and the forensic examination.
Condolences pour in
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “The stampede in Kolkata is extremely distressing. My thoughts are with those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover at the earliest. The local administration is providing all possible assistance to those affected.” The Prime Minister announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who arrived in Kolkata in the evening, spoke to Suvendu Adhikari over the phone and expressed condolences. In a social media post, he announced that he was postponing all his Bengal programmes scheduled for the next day and would instead visit the hospital to meet the injured. Former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said, “Deeply shocked and saddened to learn about the stampede at the Chorbagan puja pandal. I pray to Maa Durga for the speedy recovery of all those injured and for strength and courage for their families during this difficult time.”
The pandal and the crowds
The Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durgotsav Committee had chosen ‘Arb’, meaning “Beyond Sound”, as this year’s theme for the pandal, a 360-degree design concept exploring the depth of silence. The tragedy struck during Saptami, one of the peak evenings of Durga Puja, when pandals across Kolkata draw lakhs of visitors and the city’s busiest pandals see crushing crowds late into the night.
The incident has raised serious questions about crowd management at the city’s large pandals. Disaster management personnel, fire brigade teams and ambulances with medical teams were deployed at the site as part of the rescue operation, police said.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened at the Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal?
At around 7:40 pm on October 17, 2026, a stampede-like situation developed at the exit gate of the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata, in the Girish Park police station area. According to the chief minister, a panic announcement by the organisers during heavy rain caused a rush among revellers. At least 17 people died and 25 were injured, with the toll expected to rise.
What caused the stampede?
A senior police officer said heavy rain prompted the crowd waiting outside the pandal to surge forward, and several people fell on the road, triggering the crush. The chief minister also pointed to a panic announcement by the organisers as a factor. Some reports suggested a possible partial collapse of part of the pandal’s structure, but this is unconfirmed pending the fact-finding team’s report and a forensic examination.
What action has been taken after the incident?
Kolkata Police detained the puja organisers and the private security personnel deployed at the venue, and the organisers were summoned to the police station. A fact-finding team will establish what happened, a forensic examination will be conducted, and the pandal was closed to visitors. The state government issued the toll-free helpline 18003455678 for information and assistance.
Has compensation been announced for the victims?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured. Union Home Minister Amit Shah postponed his next-day Bengal programmes to visit the injured in hospital.
