The festive horror unfolded at the Chore Bagan Sarbojanin Puja pandal in North Kolkata on Saturday. At least 17 people died, and several others sustained injuries in the sudden crush. The chaos turned a religious gathering into a scene of panic as the crowd surged.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and Chief Secretary Manoj Agarwal reached Calcutta Medical College immediately to take stock of the situation. The injured were rushed to the facility, where medical teams worked to stabilize the victims. A witness told news agency ANI that many people lost consciousness during the stampede-like crush. The urgency was palpable; many were transported to the hospital on motorcycles due to the gridlock.
Former Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee expressed shock on X, writing that she is 'deeply shocked and saddened' by the incident. She prayed to Maa Durga for the speedy recovery of the injured and strength for their families. The political reaction is swift, but the focus remains on the forensic details of how the crowd management failed.
Authorities are now expected to launch a detailed inquiry into the safety protocols at the pandal. The next step involves a formal audit of crowd entry and exit points at major puja sites across the city to prevent a recurrence.