Kolkata Durga Puja Stampede: 19 Dead, 25 Injured; Check State & Central Government Compensation Details

A tragic stampede occurred at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata on Saturday evening, October 17, due to which 19 people were dead and it left 25 people injured, according to details provided by West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Sunday.

The incident occurred on Maha Saptami, one of the busiest days of the Durga Puja celebrations, when thousands of people visit pandals across the city.

The incident reportedly took place at around 7:40 pm near the exit gate of the Sarada Park (Chor Bagan) pandal, which falls under the Girish Park Police Station area. A sudden rush of people amid rainfall is believed to have triggered the stampede, leaving several visitors trapped in the crowd.

The tragedy has raised serious concerns about crowd management, emergency preparedness and safety arrangements at crowded Durga Puja pandals in Kolkata.

Kolkata Durga Puja Stampede: What Happened at Chorbagan Pandal?

According to preliminary accounts from witnesses and puja organisers,due to heavy rain people waiting outside the pandal rushed towards the venue for shelter. At the same time, visitors inside the pandal were attempting to leave, creating a dangerous situation near the exit.
The resulting crowd surge reportedly led to people losing their balance and falling over a makeshift staircase. The sudden movement of people in a confined space became the cause of the incident.

Kolkata Stampede Death Toll

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari confirmed that 19 people had died in the Chorbagan Durga Puja stampede. Of these, 17 reportedly died at the scene.

Another 25 people were injured in the incident. According to the information provided by the state government, 24 injured people were out of danger, while one person is still in critical condition.

Reports also say that many of the deceased were girls and children. The identities of the victims and the final casualty figures should be confirmed through official police and government updates.

Government Announces Compensation

The West Bengal government has announced financial assistance for the families of those killed in the stampede and for those injured.
Under the announced relief package Families of the deceased will get Rs 25 lakh in ex gratia compensation and a government job for one eligible family member.

The Injured persons will receive Rs 5 lakh compensation for each. Apart from that, the state government will bear the medical expenses of the injured.

PM Narendra Modi also announced financial help from the PMNRF, with Rs.2 lakh for the families of those killed and Rs. 50,000 for the injured.