Kolkata festival crush kills 19 as rain sends crowds rushing at a Durga Puja pandal; judge-led inquiry ordered
At least 19 people died and about two dozen were hurt when a sudden downpour triggered a crush at the Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata on Saturday evening. Police are questioning 12 people, a panic-inducing announcement is under scrutiny, and West Bengal's chief minister has ordered a special investigation led by a High Court judge.
At least 19 people have died after a crush at a Durga Puja festival venue in the Indian city of Kolkata on Saturday evening. Most of the victims were women, and a young girl was among those killed.
The tragedy happened at around 7.30 to 7.40pm local time at the Chorbagan community pandal, a temporary structure housing an idol of the goddess Durga on a narrow street in the north of the city. Thousands of people had come to see the pandal, which had become one of the most popular of this year's festival. When heavy rain and lightning suddenly hit, people outside pushed towards the entrance to shelter, while those already inside tried to get out. Witnesses described people falling over one another on a makeshift staircase near the exit gate.
Preliminary accounts point to panic and poor crowd control. According to early reports cited by The Hindu, organisers allegedly told visitors over a microphone to leave because the structure might collapse, and private security guards blew whistles, adding to the confusion. Several residents also complained that there were too few police officers and that most were posted at the VIP entrance. A member of the organising committee said it was still unclear exactly what had happened.
Seventeen people were declared dead on arrival at Kolkata Medical College and Hospital; a child died at another hospital and one more person died on the way to a private clinic. Around two dozen people were injured, many with breathing problems caused by the crush, and some remain in a critical condition.
West Bengal's chief minister, Suvendu Adhikari, visited the injured overnight and announced a special investigation team, to be led by a sitting judge of the Calcutta High Court, saying no one would be spared if found negligent, whether organisers or police. Kolkata Police are questioning 12 people, including organisers and volunteers, and have taken the venue's CCTV footage. The state will pay 2.5 million rupees to the family of each person killed and offer a job to one family member, while the injured will receive 500,000 rupees and free treatment. Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the incident tragic.
The pandal has been closed. Deadly crowd surges at religious gatherings are a recurring problem in India: two years ago, 121 people were killed at a Hindu religious event in Uttar Pradesh.