Kolkata Durga Puja pandal stampede leaves 19 dead, 25 injured; CM Adhikari orders judicial probe, announces ₹25 lakh compensation
At least 19 people, most of them women and children, died and 25 others were injured in a stampede at the Chorbagan Sarbajanin Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata on Saturday evening, October 17, 2026. West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced a judicially led independent probe, immediate ex gratia of ₹25 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased, and fresh crowd-management guidelines for high-traffic puja venues. Seven persons, including the secretary and vice-president of the organising committee, have been arrested, Kolkata Police said on Sunday.
How the tragedy unfolded
According to Kolkata Police and eyewitnesses, the incident occurred as crowds swelled during Saptami festivities amid a sudden downpour. The common point being used for both entry and exit—divided only by a handheld rope—became dangerously congested. Chief Minister Adhikari, after visiting the site, said the accident took place at this single, dimly lit opening.
He added that the temporary home guards manning the rope line “simply dropped the ropes and took shelter” when it started raining, which removed the barrier between incoming and outgoing streams of visitors and allowed the crush to escalate. Police officials also cited inadequate crowd control and confusing announcements following the rain as likely triggers for the panic.
Multiple eyewitnesses alleged there were improper or misleading announcements about entry and exit that left visitors confused, and raised complaints about inadequate on-ground police presence, including personnel largely concentrated near VIP access points. A local eyewitness also alleged that “wrong announcements were made that the Durga Puja pandal had collapsed,” which fuelled the rush and chaos.
The toll and the victims
The Kolkata Police confirmed that among the 19 deceased, 13 were women and four were minors. One male and one female victim were from Bihar. Chief Minister Adhikari said 17 people were brought dead to the Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata; a child died at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, and another person died while being taken to a private healthcare facility.
Victims include a Class 12 student, identified by police as Priya Samaddar from North 24 Parganas, who had come to the city for pandal-hopping, and a nurse from Hooghly. In Bardhaman, a bereaved mother told reporters she had lost both her daughters in the tragedy. Authorities said the process of handing over bodies after post-mortem examinations began on Sunday.
Immediate response and medical care
Rescue teams from the Fire Services and Disaster Management reached the site soon after the incident. Many of the injured were first taken to the Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata. On Sunday, officials said 14 injured were shifted to Apollo Hospitals, Kolkata, where three remained in the ICU and 11 in general wards.
Junior doctors and interns at the Medical College alleged mismanagement and claimed they were asked to offer families the option of shifting patients to private hospitals, saying their expenses would be covered by the government. “Medical College, Kolkata is a tertiary hospital—how can a patient be referred from a tertiary hospital?” one intern asked. The West Bengal Health Minister denied these allegations. Later in the day, Health Minister Sharadwat Mukherjee visited the hospital to pay respects as bodies were being released; Minister Tapas Ray was also present.
Government actions and accountability
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced that an independent fact-finding team headed by a sitting judge of the Calcutta High Court would probe the incident. “We will write to the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court to appoint a sitting judge under whom we can constitute a Special Investigation Team,” he said, adding that the full findings would be made public. He also said that if there are questions about Kolkata Police, the probe would be kept independent of the force to ensure impartiality.
Adhikari said he had sought the list of temporary home guards on duty at the site to scrutinise their role, noting they were deployed for a third consecutive year. He also promised new police guidelines for crowd management at packed Durga Puja pandals, including restricted access where needed and a ban on VIP or special lines. “Such incidents can sometimes happen. But as a government we take responsibility and will not politicise this,” he said.
On Sunday, police confirmed the arrest of seven persons, including the secretary and vice-president of the Chorbagan Sarbajanin Durga Puja committee. Two security in-charges and one person responsible for construction work were also among those arrested. Police said they had registered a case of culpable homicide in connection with the stampede.
Compensation and support for families
Chief Minister Adhikari announced ₹25 lakh ex gratia to the next of kin of each deceased and ₹5 lakh to each injured person. He also said one member from every bereaved family would be offered a government job. “I have informed officials to ensure the ₹25 lakh compensation cheque is handed over to the families of the victims immediately. I plan to visit the victims’ families in person in their homes in the next two days,” he said. The CM also said families of the deceased and injured would be invited to a gathering at Milan Mela on October 26 to reflect on lessons from the tragedy.
Separately, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex gratia payment of ₹2 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased and ₹50,000 to the injured from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund.
Citywide safety review and restrictions
In the wake of the tragedy, the Chorbagan pandal was closed to the public. Prohibitory orders were imposed around the area under Section 163 of the BNSS. Police also asked a number of major Kolkata pujas, including Tala Pratyay and Chatla Agrani, to temporarily close due to heavy rush, pending further decisions.
Adhikari announced a high-level committee to review safety arrangements—including crowd management, exit routes and structural safety—at major puja venues across West Bengal. Members named by officials include Disaster Management Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and Director General of Fire Services Anuj Sharma. Earlier, the CM had said the panel would be led by the Principal Secretary of Disaster Management (identified as Rajesh Sinha), DG Fire Services Anuj Sharma and Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Javed Shamim. The panel began visiting popular community pujas in Kolkata on Sunday.
National and political reactions
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in Kolkata on a two-day visit, postponed his scheduled puja programmes, visited hospitals to meet the injured on Sunday morning and reviewed treatment with doctors. He said the administration was ensuring all possible medical facilities for those hurt.
Governor R. N. Ravi visited the injured and conveyed condolences. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi expressed shock and grief over the loss of lives.
The Mamata All India Trinamool Congress criticised the state administration, raising questions about preparedness, police deployment and emergency arrangements. The party highlighted that the CM’s nephew, Debdeep Adhikari, is listed as chief patron of the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durgotsab Samity, and alleged there were inadequate police personnel, civic volunteers and ambulances when the situation spiralled.
Community responses and onsite developments
Even as the area was cordoned off, onlookers gathered to view the site on Sunday afternoon, leading to verbal altercations with police volunteers trying to disperse crowds. Some Chorbagan residents requested police to allow the puja rituals to continue “without show and pomp,” emphasising that festivities could pause, but worship should not be stopped.
Former general secretary of the organising committee, Jayanta Banerjee, who resigned in July after 15 years, said he had cautioned current organisers against shifting the idol from its traditional position this year, calling it a break from longstanding community practices. He said the deviation had deeply disturbed him but did not draw a direct link between the change and the stampede.
Police helplines
Kolkata Police announced helpline numbers for assistance:
• 8003455678
• 03322141310
What happens next
An independent, judge-led fact-finding probe is being constituted to examine all aspects of the disaster, including the roles of organisers, permission-issuing authorities, and on-ground crowd-control personnel. The citywide safety review of major pujas is underway. New police guidelines for crowd management—potentially including restrictions on access and an end to VIP entry lines—are expected to be announced shortly.
With the handover of bodies to families progressing, the state government has moved to disburse compensation and provide jobs to eligible next of kin. The Chief Minister has said he will personally visit bereaved families and meet with families of the deceased and injured at Milan Mela on October 26 to reflect on lessons from the tragedy and the way forward.
