KOLKATA: Seventeen people were killed and 25 others injured in a stampede at a community Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata on Saturday evening, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said.
The incident occurred at about 7.40 pm at the exit gate of the Sarada Park, or Chorbagan, puja pandal in the Girish Park police station area, according to a Kolkata Police statement reported by The New Indian Express. The crowd surge took place as rain fell and large numbers of visitors gathered at the pandal.
Adhikari said an announcement by the organisers led to a rush among visitors. A senior police officer, however, said people waiting outside surged forward when rain began and some fell on the road. The precise sequence of events is under investigation.
Police, fire brigade personnel, disaster-management teams, ambulances and medical teams were deployed for rescue operations. The injured were taken to Calcutta Medical College and Hospital, and the pandal was closed to visitors.
"Seventeen people were brought dead to Calcutta Medical College and Hospital, while 25 others are injured," Adhikari was quoted as saying. He and Chief Secretary Manoj Agarwal visited the hospital.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the incident "extremely distressing" and announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund to the next of kin of each person killed and Rs 50,000 for each injured person.
President Droupadi Murmu expressed condolences to the bereaved families and wished the injured a speedy recovery. Union Home Minister Amit Shah said he had spoken to Adhikari, postponed his programmes in West Bengal scheduled for Sunday and would visit the injured in hospital.
The West Bengal government announced a toll-free helpline, 18003455678, for information related to the incident. Authorities were continuing relief work and investigating the circumstances surrounding the stampede.