17 dead, 25 hurt in Kolkata stampede
Stampede at Kolkata Durga Puja gathering kills 17, injures 25.
In brief
Stampede at Kolkata Durga Puja gathering kills 17, injures 25. At least 17 people died and 25 were injured in a stampede at a Durga Puja gathering in Kolkata, India, caused by sudden rainfall. Originally reported by Dawn.
Stampede in Kolkata
At least 17 people were killed and two dozen more injured on Saturday in eastern India after a stampede that was likely caused by sudden rainfall during a Hindu religious gathering, officials said.
West Bengal Chief Minister
West Bengal’s Chief Minister Suvendhu Adhikari told reporters the fatalities included a seven-year-old girl, adding that 25 others were injured outside a pavilion "in a stampede" at the Hindu festival of Durga Puja in the…
Initial casualties
Six bodies have so far been identified, according to Adhikari.
Police report
A senior police official at the scene told _AFP_ an announcement caused "commotion" after it started raining at night and the "crowd waiting outside the _pandal_ (pavilion) was pushing, pulling and rushing forward and fell…
Historical incidents
Deadly crowd incidents are a frequent occurrence at Indian mass events, such as religious festivals, due to poor management and safety lapses.
August stampede
In August, a stampede at a Hindu temple in Bihar killed at least seven people and injured 19 others.
Last year stampede
Last year, a stampede at India’s Kumbh Mela religious fair killed 30 people and injured several others, and 11 fans were crushed to death in Bengaluru during celebrations for the local cricket team’s first Indian…
Tamil Nadu stampede
The same year, 36 people were killed after a stampede broke out at a campaign rally of a popular actor-turned-politician in southern Tamil Nadu state.
2024 Uttar Pradesh stampede
In 2024, 121 people were killed in northern Uttar Pradesh state during a Hindu religious gathering.
The one thing
At least 17 people died and 25 were injured in a stampede at a Durga Puja gathering in Kolkata, India, caused by sudden rainfall.
