Sri Vijaya Puram, October 18: The death toll in the stampede at the Chorbagan Sarbojonin Durga Puja pandal in North Kolkata rose to 19 on Sunday, with West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announcing compensation of ₹2.5 lakh and a government job for a member of each bereaved family. The state government has also assured full coverage of medical expenses for the injured, along with additional compensation of ₹5 lakh for each injured person.
The tragedy occurred on Saturday at the community Durga Puja pandal on Muktarambabu Street, where a large gathering of devotees had assembled to catch a glimpse of the idols. Seventeen people reportedly died at the scene, while two others succumbed later. Twenty-five people were injured, of whom 24 were reported to be out of danger as of Sunday, while one remained in critical condition, according to the Chief Minister.
The incident has raised concerns over crowd management and safety arrangements at major public celebrations, particularly during Durga Puja, when thousands of devotees visit pandals across West Bengal.
Addressing reporters on Sunday, Adhikari said the government had announced assistance for all 19 bereaved families and that he had personally met representatives of 13 families. He assured them that the administration would stand by them during the difficult period.
“The West Bengal government will provide ₹2.5 lakh as compensation along with a job to every affected family,” the Chief Minister said, adding that the government would bear 100 per cent of the medical expenses of those injured and provide an additional ₹5 lakh in compensation to each injured person.
The Chief Minister, accompanied by the state BJP president and party Rajya Sabha members, visited Calcutta Medical College to enquire about the condition of those undergoing treatment.
Prime Minister Announces Central Assistance
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia payment of ₹2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) to the next of kin of each person who died in the incident. The injured will receive ₹50,000 each under the central assistance package.
Expressing grief over the tragedy, Modi said the incident was saddening and conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families. He also wished those injured a speedy recovery and said the West Bengal government was providing all possible assistance to the affected families.
President Droupadi Murmu expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives, describing the news as heartbreaking. She conveyed her condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for the swift recovery of the injured.
Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan also expressed anguish over the incident and extended his condolences to the families who lost their loved ones.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said he was in touch with the Chief Minister regarding the situation and that arrangements were being made to ensure the best possible medical treatment for the injured. Shah announced that he would postpone his scheduled Durga Puja engagements in West Bengal on Sunday to visit those receiving treatment in hospital.
Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda said local authorities were conducting rescue and relief operations on a war footing. He expressed condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for the safety and recovery of those affected.
Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Dharmendra Pradhan and Kiren Rijiju also expressed grief over the loss of lives and conveyed their sympathies to the victims’ families. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami extended his condolences, while Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge appealed to party leaders and workers to provide all possible assistance to those affected.
West Bengal Governor R. N. Ravi also expressed sorrow over the deaths and wished the injured a speedy recovery.
Security Agency’s Actions Under Scrutiny
The circumstances leading to the stampede are under investigation. Initial reports indicated that tension broke out among visitors after a portion of the exit-gate structure collapsed at the Chorbagan Sarbojonin pandal.
West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya said preliminary information received from the assistant commissioner of police present at the scene suggested that an announcement and repeated whistling by a private security agency may have triggered the situation.
However, Bhattacharya cautioned against drawing conclusions before the investigation was completed. He said the authorities had begun examining all aspects of the incident and that members of the Puja committee and personnel associated with the security agency had reportedly been detained.
The precise sequence of events, including the circumstances surrounding the reported collapse of part of the exit-gate structure, the movement of the crowd and the role of security arrangements, remains to be established through the investigation.
Bhattacharya said the priority should be to support the affected families, determine what led to the tragedy and ensure that those found responsible were dealt with under the law. He also called for a transparent investigation and urged political parties to refrain from mudslinging while the facts were being established.
The incident has brought the management of large crowds at temporary festival structures under scrutiny, particularly the importance of clear evacuation routes, adequate exits and coordinated communication between organisers, private security personnel, police and emergency services.
Safety Warning for Durga Puja Organisers
With approximately 58,000 Durga Pujas being held across West Bengal, the Chief Minister appealed to organisers and visitors to exercise caution and follow safety directions issued by the police and fire services.
He stressed the need for effective crowd control, adequate lighting and properly arranged entry and exit points. Compliance with safety instructions, he said, was essential to prevent further incidents and ensure that devotees could participate in the festivities safely.
The tragedy has cast a shadow over the celebrations, turning a major community gathering into a scene of grief and emergency response. As families mourn their loved ones and the injured continue to receive treatment, the investigation is expected to establish how the crowd became uncontrollable and whether the safety arrangements at the pandal were adequate.
The immediate response from the state and central governments has focused on financial assistance, medical care and support for the bereaved. However, the findings of the investigation will be crucial in determining accountability and identifying measures needed to prevent similar tragedies at crowded religious and public events.
For now, the loss of 19 lives at a Durga Puja pandal has underscored the need for stringent safety planning at mass gatherings, where effective crowd management, secure exits and clear communication can prove critical in preventing a celebration from turning into a disaster.
