19 killed, 25 injured in Kolkata Durga Puja stampede, Bengal orders safety checks at pandals

At least 19 people were killed and 25 injured in a stampede at Kolkata’s Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal on Saturday, prompting the West Bengal government to order safety inspections at major puja venues and set up a high-level committee to recommend measures to prevent similar incidents, as per a report by PTI.

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced the committee after the stampede, which occurred amid rain on Saturday evening, the day of Maha Saptami.

The move comes as large crowds are expected at pandals during the remaining days of Durga Puja, particularly Ashtami and Navami.


The panel will review crowd management, exit routes and structural safety at prominent pandals.

It 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 PTI report said.

A team of senior police officers, guided by the director general of police, will inspect major venues.

Adhikari has directed organisers to strictly follow the committee’s safety recommendations, prioritising visitors’ safety over elaborate structures and themes.

Organisers may be advised to restrict rituals to the inner sanctum and use LED screens outside if complex pandal structures pose safety risks or obstruct the movement of visitors.

Authorities have also called for wider exit points, adequate lighting and the removal of bottlenecks caused by temporary rope enclosures. Officials have been asked to maintain heightened vigilance and strengthen crowd control.

Adhikari, who visited Kolkata Medical College and Hospital, where the injured were taken, also announced compensation of Rs 25 lakh and a Group D government job for the family of each deceased person, PTI reported.