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Durga Puja Stampede Kills at Least 17 in Kolkata

By Drooid · Oct 17, 2026, 11:13 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Kolkata Stampede Kills

A stampede at a Durga Puja venue in Kolkata killed at least 17 people.
Heavy rain led to overcrowding at the exit gate in Girish Park, triggering the crush.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said panic spread after a misleading announcement.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s office pledged 200,000 rupees for each deceased relative and 50,000 rupees for each injured person.
Eyewitnesses said some unconscious victims were carried away on motorbikes.

Summary

Amit Shah Promises Care

Interior Minister Amit Shah said the administration is providing all possible medical facilities for the injured.
Recent mass-event tragedies include 30 deaths at the Kumbh Mela and 11 fans crushed in Bengaluru IPL celebrations.
Experts say India’s frequent crowd disasters stem from inadequate safety planning and poor crowd-control measures.

History

Historical Context

Since the 1954 Prayagraj Kumbh Mela crush that killed over 300 people, each major tragedy—such as the 2003 Nashik stampede (39 deaths) and the 2025 Prayagraj crush (30 deaths)—has spurred tighter crowd-control rules. The Justice Verma inquiry and NDMA directives now require states to follow established safety protocols for festivals such as Kolkata’s Durga Puja.

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Kolkata Stampede Kills

A stampede at a Durga Puja venue in Kolkata killed at least 17 people.
Heavy rain led to overcrowding at the exit gate in Girish Park, triggering the crush.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said panic spread after a misleading announcement.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s office pledged 200,000 rupees for each deceased relative and 50,000 rupees for each injured person.
Eyewitnesses said some unconscious victims were carried away on motorbikes.

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