KOLKATA: At least 18 people died and 25 others were injured in a stampede the Chorebagan Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata on Saturday evening. The incident occurred at around 7 pm amid heavy rain and lightning.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, who rushed to the Kolkata Medical College and Hospital, where the victims were taken, said one of the 25 injured was in "critical" condition.
He said an announcement by the organisers of the community Durga Puja at Chorbagan off Chittaranjan Avenue in north Kolkata led to a rush among the revellers, causing the "painful incident".
The officials of the Chorebagan Durga Puja organiser club, private security guards and officials on duty have been detained, he added.
As it started raining, the crowd waiting outside the pandal rushed forward, and some of them fell on the road, leading to the stampede, a senior officer said.
Several visitors alleged that the stampede occurred due to inadequate safety arrangements by the Kolkata Police.
Adhikari and Chief Secretary Manoj Agarwal visited the state-run hospital where the injured were taken.
The Chief Minister also said that six of the deceased have been identified so far and arrangements are being made to bring their family members to the hospital.
"Fact-finding will be done, and steps will be taken," the chief minister said.
Meanwhile, the administration has advised several crowd-pulling theme pujas to temporarily close down their pandals following the incident. There are nearly 3500 pandals to celebrate Durga Puja in Kolkata.
Following the accident, the West Bengal government has launched a toll-free helpline. For information related to the incident, please call 18003455678, the state government said.
President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and several others condoled the tragedy.
"The news of the deaths of people in a Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata is extremely sad. I express my deepest condolences to all the bereaved families. I pray for the swift recovery of those who have been injured," the President said in a post on X in Hindi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that an ex gratia payment of Rs. 2 lakh from Prime Minister Nation Releif Fund would be given to the next of kin of each of those who lost their lives. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah expressed his condolences over the tragedy in a post on X. He said he had spoken to Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari regarding the incident and prayed for the victims and their families.
“I have spoken with Chief Minister Shri Suvendu Adhikari ji regarding this matter. I pray for the peace of the souls of the devotees who lost their lives in this tragedy and express my condolences to their families,” Shah said.
The Union minister had cancelled his programmes in West Bengal scheduled for Sunday in the wake of a stampede. He will visit the hospital to meet the injured on Sunday.
Former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said she was deeply shocked about the stampede-like situation at Chorbagan puja pandal.
"Deeply shocked and saddened to learn about the stampede at the Chorbagan puja pandal. I pray to Maa Durga for the speedy recovery of all those injured and for strength and courage for their families during this difficult time," she said.
West Bengal Governor RN Ravi said, "Deeply saddened by the loss of precious lives in the stampede at a Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families in this hour of grief. Praying for the swift recovery of the injured."
TMC leader Kunal Ghosh termed the incident 'unfortunate' and urged the police administration to ensure immediate medical assistance for the injured and called for additional doctors and medical staff to be deployed at the hospital. He said determining the cause of the incident could wait, stressing that the immediate priority was to save lives and ensure treatment for the seriously injured.
(With inputs from PTI)