At 7:40 p.m. on Saturday, October 18, a crowd of thousands packed the narrow, low‑roof corridor of the Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal, and a sudden surge caused a stampede that left 19 dead and 25 injured, three of whom were admitted to ICU.
Seven people, including committee secretary Raj Kumar Sewda, vice‑president Santanu Dubey, construction supervisor Biplab Mukherjee, crowd controller Koushik Saha, Pintu Dey, and security heads Suman Chakraborty and Rajesh Pal, were arrested on charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, after visiting the injured at Kolkata Medical College and Hospital, said the incident followed an announcement on the loudspeaker that triggered a rush, and called for better lighting and controlled entry for future theme‑based pandals.
In response, the state administration has ordered the temporary shutdown of several major Durga Puja venues – including "Tala Pratyay", "Alipore Sarbojanin", "Chetla Agrani" and "Ballygunge Sarbojonin" – and warned organisers to heed safety guidelines.
Police have filed a suo motu case of culpable homicide, and the investigation will determine whether the rush was caused by the loudspeaker announcement or a whistle from security guards; the court case is expected to be heard in the coming weeks.