At Least 25 Hurt in Kolkata Durga Puja Crowd Surge

At least 25 people were taken to hospital after a crowd surged outside Kolkata’s Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal on Saturday evening. The exact number of injured people and the cause had not been officially confirmed. Earlier reports also carried unconfirmed claims of deaths. The incident unfolded during one of Kolkata’s biggest annual festivals, when devotees gather at decorated community sites. ^1,2

The crowd surge began as rain started, according to a senior police officer cited by PTI. People waiting outside rushed forward, and some fell onto the road. At least 25 people in serious condition were taken to Kolkata Medical College and Hospital, where West Bengal Health Minister Saradwat Mukherjee and other officials went to check on them. Disaster response teams also went to the scene. Police said the crowd movement led to the crush, while reports differed on whether a structure collapsed. ^2,3,4

Families are waiting for news from the hospitals, while the scale of the harm remains unclear. Some earlier reports cited claims that people had died, but Kolkata Police had not confirmed any deaths in its latest detailed account. The cause is also disputed: one report quoted an organiser saying it was unclear whether crowd pressure had trampled people. Another described a section of an exit gate collapsing. The pandal was closed to visitors as rescue work took priority. ^4,9,11

The closure leaves officials with two immediate tasks: treating those hurt and finding out what happened at the exit. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and Chief Secretary Manoj Agarwal visited patients, and the state opened a helpline, 18003455678, for people seeking information. Authorities are expected to review the incident and safety plans, but the sources give no timetable for their findings. ^1,5,11