Kolkata stampede: SIT to probe security lapses after 19 deaths; 14 detained

At least 19 people, most of them women and children, died and 25 others were injured in a stampede at the Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata on Saturday, 17 October 2026.

The crush highlights persistent crowd-safety risks at India’s mass religious gatherings, where poor management and safety lapses have repeatedly led to deadly incidents in recent years.

Rai said that when it started raining, people inside could not leave the pandal while a large number of people continued to enter from behind, and the stampede occurred at that point. He alleged that the puja organisers and the security agency responsible for crowd management had failed in their duties, though he said the stampede was not caused by darkness alone, despite the pandal's dark themed interiors.

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said preliminary information from the assistant commissioner of police present at the spot suggested that an announcement by a private security agency and the blowing of whistles may have triggered the incident. Adhikari announced that his government will provide ₹25 lakh and a Group D government job for the family of each deceased.

The Times of India reported that 14 people had been detained in connection with the stampede. The Hindu said a sitting High Court judge is to probe the incident, with CCTV reviewed, an SIT planned and compensation announced. A police officer told PTI that 12 people had been detained over the Chorebagan incident and were being questioned.

What happens next

Adhikari announced a high-level committee to review crowd management, exit routes and structural safety at prominent puja venues and recommend comprehensive guidelines to prevent a recurrence. The panel will be led by Principal Secretary of Disaster Management Rajesh Sinha, Director General of Fire Services Anuj Sharma and Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Javed Shamim.

Deadly crowd incidents are a frequent occurrence at Indian mass events such as religious festivals due to poor management and safety lapses. In August, a stampede at a Hindu temple in Bihar killed at least seven people and injured 19 others. Last year, a stampede at India's Kumbh Mela religious fair killed 30 people and injured several others. In 2024, 121 people were killed in northern Uttar Pradesh state during a Hindu religious gathering.