Kolkata Durga Puja Stampede Claims 19 Lives, 25 Injured; 12 Detained for Questioning

PTI, Oct 18, 2026, Kolkata: At least 19 people died, and 25 others were injured in a stampede at the Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata.

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, who rushed to Kolkata Medical College and Hospital, where the victims were taken, also announced that his government would provide Rs 25 lakh and a Group D government job to the family of each deceased person.

He said police had detained Chorbagan Durga Puja organisers, private security guards and on-duty staff for questioning.

"As of now, 19 people have died, and 25 are undergoing treatment," Adhikari said.

The chief minister said that an announcement by the organisers of the community Durga Puja at Chorbagan in north Kolkata led to a rush among the revellers, causing the "painful incident".

"According to initial reports by the officials at the spot, the incident occurred owing to an announcement on the loudspeaker by the puja organisers," he said.

The Chorbagan Durga Puja, which has gained popularity in recent years and draws a large number of revellers, is located on a narrow road off Chittaranjan Avenue.

According to the family members of two of the deceased, the blowing of a whistle by private security guards in the pandal area led to a rush among the people waiting to visit the pandal, the chief minister said.

"It is a painful incident, and we are doing whatever is required. The Chorbagan Durga Puja organisers, private security guards and on-duty staff have been detained," he said.

Adhikari said that the administration's priority was to provide proper treatment to the injured.

"Till now, family members of nine dead have reached here. I have spoken to them personally. Fact-finding will be done, and steps will be taken," the chief minister said.

Adhikari said that all official programmes, including those of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, had been postponed due to the tragedy.

Shah arrived in Kolkata and was scheduled to visit some Durga Puja pandals on Sunday.

Stating that the state government stood with the families of the deceased and injured, the chief minister said the Chorbagan community Durga Puja pandal had been closed.

He said that the stampede site had been handed over to the forensic department, the police STF and the Fire Brigade for investigation.

The chief minister urged all theme-based Durga Puja organisers to ensure proper lighting at the venue and adequate entry and exit gates for visitors.

"Many pandals are dimly lit in the name of theme puja," he said, urging the organisers to follow the advice of the authorities.

"Lives of people are more valuable than themes," the CM said.

A large number of Durga Puja organisers in Kolkata and other places in the state compete with each other to make their pandals more attractive by setting up theme-based creations.

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced the formation of a high-level committee to review safety arrangements at major Durga Puja pandals across the state following the stampede on Saturday at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin pandal in Kolkata.

The committee will review crowd management, exit routes and structural safety at prominent puja venues and recommend comprehensive guidelines to prevent a recurrence of such incidents.

The panel will be led by Principal Secretary of Disaster Management Rajesh Sinha, Director General of Fire Services Anuj Sharma and Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Javed Shamim, the chief minister said.

Kolkata Police are investigating whether lapses in crowd management, confusion over entry and exit routes and heavy rain contributed to the stampede at the Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal that left 19 people dead on Saturday evening, a senior officer said.

Several eyewitnesses alleged that announcements about entry, exit and crowd movement were improper, leaving visitors confused during the rush hours.

Locals also claimed that police deployment at the pandal was inadequate, alleging that personnel were mainly stationed near the VIP entrance.

"I have not seen adequate police presence this year. This resulted in the mismanagement," Sanghamitra Bhowmik, a resident of the Chorbagan area, said.

Police on Saturday night detained 12 people, including organisers of the Chorbagan Durga Puja, in connection with their probe into the stampede in which 19 people died and 25 were injured, an officer said.

The move came after West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari promised strict action against those who failed to carry out their respective duties, allegedly leading to crowd mismanagement at the north Kolkata Durga Puja.

"We have detained 12 people in connection with our probe into the Chorbagan incident. Our officers are talking to them to find out the cause that led to today's mishap. If any lapses are found, we will act as per the law," the officer told PTI.