Stampede at a Crowded Festival Pavilion in Kolkata, India, Kills 19
Thirteen women were among the dead at the Chorbagan pandal. Police say rain, narrow gates and a panic-causing announcement played a role, and seven people have been arrested.
By Watchman Report staff ·
At least 19 people, including 13 women, died and 25 were injured in a stampede Saturday evening at the exit gate of a crowded Durga Puja festival pavilion in north Kolkata, NDTV reported. Kolkata Police said the crush happened around 7:40 p.m. at the Chorbagan (Sarada Park) pandal "due to heavy crowds of pandal visitors amid rain." Eight of the injured were in critical condition. Durga Puja is a 10-day Hindu festival in West Bengal that draws huge crowds to temporary structures called pandals.
Witnesses blamed narrow entry and exit gates and a lack of lighting. Police have cited mismanagement and an announcement that the structure was about to collapse, which they believe set off the panic, The Times of India and India Today reported. Seven organizers and security personnel have been arrested, a culpable homicide case has been filed, and a special investigation team led by a sitting High Court judge is investigating, according to The Hindu and The Times of India.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said, "There's no question of sparing anyone," and announced compensation and a government job for each victim's family, as well as a statewide safety review of major pandals. Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the stampede "extremely distressing" and announced interim payments to families of the dead and the injured.
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