A Puja Night Turns Tragic: 19 Killed in Kolkata Durga Puja Stampede

Tragedy struck Durga at Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja Pandal in north Kolkata on Saturday evening in which about 19 people are reported to have died and about 25 are reportedly injured. One of the injured, it is said is in critical condition.

"Seventeen people were brought dead to Calcutta Medical College and Hospital, while 25 others are injured," Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said. The Union Home Minister Amit Shah is rushing to Kolkatta to meet the families of the deceased and those who were injured in the stampede.

Meanwhile, President Droupadi Murmu also expressed grief over the deaths, saying that the news of the deaths of people is extremely heartbreaking.

The Prime Minister Narendra Modi inquired about the incident and expressed his condolences to the beareaved families. He asked the state government to take all necessary measures to provide best of the treatment to the injured.

The CM announced that his government will provide Rs 25 lakh and a government job for the family of each deceased. He also announced the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the incident.

Adhikari said, "Rs 5 lakh will also be given to each injured person, and the entire treatment cost at any hospital of their choice will be borne by the government. An SIT headed by a sitting judge of the Calcutta High Court will investigate the incident. The SIT will comprise members from STF, CID and other departments," he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of each of those who lost their lives in the stampede. PM Modi said on X that the stampede in Kolkata was saddening, and also offered condolences to the bereaved families.

Heavy rain, intense crowding in narrow lanes and confusion following an announcement were among the factors under investigation. Stampede-like situation at a Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata on Saturday evening, the Chief Minister said.

He said an announcement by the organisers of the community Durga Puja at Chorbagan off Chittaranjan Avenue in north Kolkata led to a rush among the revellers, causing the "painful incident".

As it started raining, the crowd waiting outside the Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal rushed forward, and some of them fell on the road, leading to the stampede, a police officer said.

The Chief Minister, Health Minister Saradwat Mukherjee and Chief Secretary Manoj Agarwal visited the state-run hospital where the injured were taken. Disaster management personnel have been deployed at the site.

The police have detained 12 people, including organisers, volunteers and others, for questioning in connection with the stampede at the Chorebagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja Pandal in Kolkata, which claimed 19 lives. A suo-motto judiciall probe has also been ordered.

A forensic team arrived at the site of the stampede -- Muktarambabu Street in North Kolkata -- on Sunday. At least 25 injured are undergoing treatment at state hospitals.

Adhikari said, "Across the entire state, 58,000 Pujas are taking place. Keeping this incident in mind, everyone should exercise caution and take necessary precautionary measures. Crowd control should be maintained, and the directions from the fire brigade and police regarding adequate lighting, entry, exit points, and overall safety must be fully followed. Everyone should cooperate. Please perform your Pujas -- whether it is Ashtami or Pushpanjali. This is our tradition, our scriptures, and it will happen."

He further said, "Just the police alone won't get the job done. Issues such as entry, exit, safety, security, and crowd management need to be looked into. What are the shortcomings here, and what kind of bad experience have we faced from this incident? Within the next two to three days, action should be taken to ensure such incidents do not happen again, and the government will take steps accordingly." The Chief Minister announced that public representatives and bureaucrats of the central and state governments will not participate in any festivals over the next two to three days.

Former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said she was deeply shocked about the stampede-like situation at Chorbagan puja pandal.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gowri V

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A Journey of Three Decades Time passes faster than we realise. What feels like a journey that began only yesterday has today grown into more than three decades of a meaningful and fulfilling life devoted to education, journalism, and the empowerment of young minds. My professional journey began with journalism training in New Delhi in 1979. I went on to work as an independent journalist, drawing on my fluency in both English and Telugu. Over the years, I have edited and worked on Telugu articles in both languages, an experience that strengthened my command of language and sharpened my understanding of society, people, and contemporary issues. Yet, my principal profession and enduring passion have always been teaching. My decision to become a teacher was not merely a career choice—it was a calling. Teaching offered me the rare privilege of inspiring young minds, guiding them through their formative years, and making a lasting difference in their lives. I found immense satisfaction in simplifying complex concepts, nurturing curiosity, encouraging independent thought, and building confidence among students. Every moment in the classroom—every question, every moment of discovery, and every spark of understanding—reminded me why I had chosen this path: to empower young people through knowledge, values, and essential life skills. My teaching career began at the grassroots level as a Montessori teacher and gradually progressed to the position of Vice Principal. I had the opportunity to work in reputed educational institutions, including Dilsukhnagar Public School in Hyderabad, where I shouldered both teaching and administrative responsibilities. Although I have always considered myself, at heart, a teacher, my administrative experience enabled me to understand and contribute to the education system from a much broader perspective. For my students, I have always tried to be an approachable and dependable presence—someone they could turn to not only for academic support, but also for guidance and emotional encouragement. At the same time, I developed a reputation as a firm disciplinarian who believed that integrity, fairness, responsibility, and discipline were fundamental to education. I was also consistently appreciated for maintaining clear communication with parents and staff and for ensuring that examinations and other academic processes were conducted with transparency, fairness, and efficiency. As my career progressed, however, I began to feel that academic education alone was not enough. This realization led me to work more closely with students following the SSC and CBSE curricula, while consciously bringing life-skills education into my teaching. I came to understand that education becomes truly meaningful when it prepares children not merely to pass examinations, but to face life. Teaching emotional resilience, self-reliance, social awareness, communication, decision-making, and other practical life skills often had a deeper and more lasting impact than academic achievement alone. I saw how these skills could help students navigate challenges with greater confidence, maturity, and responsibility. My academic background provided a strong foundation for this approach. My degree in Psychology from the University of Madras helped me develop a deeper understanding of young people's minds, their emotional needs, and the influence of their family and social environments. My M.A. in Telugu with First Class from Osmania University.

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