At least 17 killed in stampede at North Kolkata Durga Puja pandal

• At least 17 people died in a stampede at the Chore Bagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal in North Kolkata on Saturday.

• Police said around 35 people were taken to MCH hospital after the crush at the exit gate amid heavy crowds and rain.

• The pandal was closed to visitors, and emergency teams were deployed for rescue and medical assistance.

A night of celebration turned into a tragedy at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal in North Kolkata on Saturday night, when heavy rain and an overwhelming crowd reportedly triggered a stampede-like situation on Maha Saptami. Hospital sources reported that 18 people had died including children, while dozens of others were injured. The death toll had not been officially confirmed by the authorities at the time of reporting.

Between 40 and 50 injured people were reportedly brought to Calcutta Medical College and Hospital. Several were said to be in critical condition, while 11 injured people were reportedly transferred to SSKM Hospital. The incident has raised serious questions about crowd management, emergency access and the arrangements made to protect visitors during one of Kolkata's biggest annual festivals.

According to eyewitness accounts, thousands of visitors had gathered inside and outside the pandal when torrential rain struck the city. Many people reportedly tried to move inside to escape the downpour, while others were attempting to leave after viewing the idol. The opposing movements created dangerous pressure within the crowded passage.

 One eyewitness described the moment panic spread, “Suddenly, there was a push from behind. People began to fall, one after another. Those in the front couldn't get up at all.”

The witness, who was with three female friends, said they became trapped beneath the crowd. “One of them was at the very bottom. She couldn't breathe for nearly 40 to 45 minutes,” the person recalled. The witness said attempts to pull the women free initially failed, as people around them struggled to escape.

Anger grew among visitors who alleged that police personnel and ambulances were not readily available during the emergency. These allegations require independent verification as the circumstances are investigated.

“Why wasn't the crowd controlled? Why were people allowed in? Where was the police?” one young man demanded. He alleged that victims were being transported in private vehicles, including taxis booked through Uber and Ola. “There are no ambulances, no police,” he claimed.

Another woman alleged that local residents had taken the lead in rescuing victims. She also accused the organisers of making incorrect public announcements, which she said had added to the confusion.

Shoes, bags and water bottles were reportedly scattered around the pandal as rescue operations continued. The decorative lights were switched off and public entry was suspended. Fire services and disaster response personnel reached the site.

The pandal features an elevated circular corridor through which visitors must complete a 360-degree circuit before exiting. Preliminary reports suggest that the crush occurred along this route. Some reports also indicated that part of the structure may have collapsed, although the precise sequence of events remained unclear.

Thousands of people had assembled at the pandal in the evening, when a sudden spell of rain took the revellers unawares at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin, located in a narrow stretch, with some lanes leading to the main pandal.

Many of the revellers on the lane outside rushed to take shelter inside the pandal. Those inside the pandal could not come out while the ones caught in the open tried to push their way to protect themselves from the rain. The trapped people tumbled on top of each other on a makeshift staircase.

The pandal had an iron structure under which was the idol of Goddess Durga. A portion of the structure is suspected to have collapsed, adding to the casualties. The incident, based on accounts heard thus far, is believed to have happened in a span of five to seven minutes.

A narrow lane leads to the puja pandal at Chorbagan which is celebrating its 91st year this year. The other exit for the public at large was uneven with the narrowest at 10 feet and widest at 30 feet. Those who managed to get over the stairs and reached the exit gate could not move out.

“The adjoining Parbati Ghosh Lane was closed. No ambulances were allowed. The police had fled. Local residents rushed to rescue those trapped inside,” said a visitor to the pandal.

Another visitor said three of his friends with whom he had come to visit the pandal fell on the ground. “I tried to pull them out but could not. Some people joined me to help drag them out,” he said.

Kolkata Police said the incident occurred at around 7.40 pm at the exit gate of the Sarada Park, or Chor Bagan, puja pandal in the Girish Park police station area. Heavy crowds had gathered at the venue during rain.

Around 35 people were taken to MCH hospital, according to the police. The pandal was subsequently closed to visitors. ABP reported bodies being taken in Ola Uber cabs, as a result of inadequate police and ambulance services.

Police reinforcements, fire brigade personnel, a Disaster Management Group team and ambulances carrying medical teams were deployed at the site. Police said those injured were rescued and transported to hospital.

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and Chief Secretary Manoj Agarwal visited the hospital to assess the situation.

Witnesses described chaotic scenes as visitors were caught in the crowd crush. One person told news agency ANI that several people lost consciousness and that some of the injured were taken to hospital on motorcycles.

Another witness, whose daughter and granddaughter were hospitalised, told NDTV that both the entrance and exit were narrow and that the area lacked lighting.

Former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee expressed shock and sorrow over the incident in a post on X. She prayed for the injured to recover quickly and for their families to find strength.

The police statement attributed the stampede to heavy crowds at the exit during rain. Witness accounts raised concerns about access and lighting at the venue.

Puja organiser Bikash Das said the immediate priority was rescue and medical care. “Our primary task is to get the injured to the hospital,” he said, adding that the cause of the incident was not yet clear.

The state government announced a toll-free helpline, 18003455678, for assistance.

The tragedy has raised urgent questions about the capacity of the circular passage, the management of entry and exit flows, the availability of emergency routes and the response time of police and medical services. These issues must be examined through a transparent investigation rather than assumptions about responsibility.

With agency inputs