In brief
A sudden rainstorm during Kolkata’s Durga Puja celebrations sent crowds scrambling for shelter, sparking a stampede that killed 17 and injured dozens. Officials reported a surge of people attempting to move into a nearby plaza, where a commotion turned into a deadly crush. Chief Minister Suvendhu Adhikari confirmed a seven‑year‑old girl was among the deceased, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the incident as tragic. The situation mirrors past crowd accidents at religious festivals in India, including a 2024 fatality wave in Uttar Pradesh. Authorities are still investigating crowd management failures that contributed to the tragedy.
At least 17 people were killed and dozens injured when a sudden rainstorm triggered a crush during Kolkata’s Durga Puja celebrations, authorities confirmed.
The incident occurred in the early hours of the evening as a large crowd rushed toward a public plaza to escape the storm. Witnesses say a shouted announcement about the weather caused a surge of movement, leading people to push and pull, which escalated into a deadly stampede.
West Bengal’s Chief Minister Suvendhu Adhikari said a seven‑year‑old girl was among the dead, and that 25 people were now being treated for injuries. Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the event “tragic” and said the government is supporting affected families.
Six of the victims have been identified so far. A senior police officer told international media that the crowd’s panic after the announcement triggered chaos that quickly turned fatal.
Such crowd incidents during religious festivals are not uncommon in India, where overcrowding and inadequate safety measures often lead to tragedies. Two years ago, a religious gathering in Uttar Pradesh claimed 121 lives in a similar crush.
For further reading, see the August 2024 incident in Uttarakhand: 121 killed in Uttar Pradesh gathering.
