दुर्गा पूजा मण्डपमा भागदौड, १९ जनाको मृत्यु
Kolkata, October 18:
\At least 19 people were killed and 25 others injured in a stampede during the Durga Puja festival in Kolkata, the capital of India’s eastern state of West Bengal. According to officials, the stampede broke out on Saturday night when people gathered near a pandal rushed to seek shelter as it started to rain.
Police reported that the crowd became uncontrolled after a few devotees fell on the street. The injured are currently receiving treatment at the Kolkata Medical College and Hospital. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, who visited the hospital, confirmed the death toll of 19 and stated that 25 others are undergoing treatment. He announced that a special investigation team led by a High Court judge will be formed to probe the incident.
Initiating an investigation, police have taken into custody some Durga Puja pandal organizers, private security personnel, and on-duty staff. Officials stated that a probe is underway to determine whether there were lapses in crowd management and security. Around 3,500 locally known “pandals” have been set up across Kolkata for the Durga Puja festival. Following the incident, authorities have advised organizers to temporarily close several high-density crowd areas in Kolkata.
Incidents of stampedes frequently occur during large religious festivals in India due to unmanaged crowds. Despite millions of people gathering in limited areas during such festivals, adequate security and crowd management often remain lacking.
In January 2025, during the Mahakumbh festival—hailed as the world’s largest religious gathering—at least 30 Hindu pilgrims lost their lives when thousands rushed forward simultaneously to take a holy river dip. Similarly, in 2013, a stampede triggered by panic among pilgrims fearing a bridge collapse at a temple in Madhya Pradesh resulted in at least 115 deaths, with some victims drowning in the river.
— RSS/Unified Nepal
