The stampede took place at Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durgotsab Samity puja pandal, a prominent puja in central Kolkata, during the peak hours on Saturday evening.
Durga Puja festivities in Kolkata turned tragic on Saturday after a stampede-like situation left at least 19 dead, while several others are said to be injured. The incident took place at Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durgotsab Samity puja pandal, a prominent puja in central Kolkata, during the peak hours on Saptami evening, police said.
While the exact cause of the crowd crush is yet to be ascertained, eyewitnesses said that the surging crowd and rainfall worsened the situation.
“The incident took place around 7:30 pm. The crowd at the pandal was already swelling. As it started to rain more people entered the pandal. This resulted in a stampede. Several people were injured,” Dipali Das, a pandal hopper, told the media.
Another eyewitness alleged mismanagement and said that people pushing each other in absence of organisers, volunteers and police personnel.
“There were no puja organsier, no police and no volunteer. Everyone was pushing each other and shouting. Many fell ill,” said Saikat Banerjee, another pandal hopper.
As leaders expressed grief over the loss of lives in the Kolkata pandal stampede, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced ₹2 lakh ex-gratia to next of kin of each deceased and ₹50,000 for injured. “Stampede in Kolkata extremely distressing; my thoughts with people who have lost loved ones,” PM 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: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) October 17, 2026
Meanwhile, Union home minister Amit Shah Union is expected to visit injured in hospitals on Sunday, news agency PTI reported.