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Kolkata Stampede Kills 19; Police Arrest Seven Organizers

By Drooid · Oct 18, 2026, 9:59 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Kolkata Police Arrests Organizers

A stampede at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal in North Kolkata killed 19 and injured 25.
Kolkata Police arrested seven organizers, including committee secretary Raj Kumar Sewda and vice-president Santanu Dubey.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced Rs 25 lakh compensation and a government job for each victim’s family.
A Special Investigation Team headed by a Calcutta High Court judge was formed to probe the incident.

Summary

Rajesh Sinha Leads Panel

Disaster Management Secretary Rajesh Sinha will lead a panel to draft corporate-style crowd-management guidelines.
Junior doctors said Medical College Hospital lacked basic trauma care for stampede victims.
Ambulances struggled to reach victims because VIPs blocked access routes.
Government activated toll-free helpline 18003455678 for victims’ families.
Durga Puja contributes Rs 32,000-40,000 crore to West Bengal’s economy, employing thousands of artisans.

History

Historical Context

On 24 September 2015 a crush at Mina during the Hajj killed more than 2,400 pilgrims. Earlier disasters in 1990 (1,426 deaths) and 2006 (346 deaths) had already forced Saudi Arabia to spend billions on crowd-control upgrades. Citing that example, West Bengal’s Disaster Management Secretary Rajesh Sinha is drafting safety guidelines for Kolkata’s Durga Puja, a Rs 35 billion festival.

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Kolkata Police Arrests Organizers

A stampede at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal in North Kolkata killed 19 and injured 25.
Kolkata Police arrested seven organizers, including committee secretary Raj Kumar Sewda and vice-president Santanu Dubey.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced Rs 25 lakh compensation and a government job for each victim’s family.
A Special Investigation Team headed by a Calcutta High Court judge was formed to probe the incident.

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