A video capturing the moments when a deadly stampede broke out at a Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata has surfaced, showing dozens of devotees trapped inside a narrow, barricaded passage as panic spread through the crowd. The tragedy, which occurred on Saturday evening, claimed 19 lives and left 25 others injured.
The 49-second mobile phone footage, reportedly recorded by a person caught in the crowd, shows men, women and children packed tightly inside a low-roofed, covered passage at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal.
Several people can be heard crying for help as the crowd struggles to move. Some devotees are seen attempting to hold onto the walls to prevent themselves from falling amid the intense pressure.
Another video shows a large number of visitors rushing towards the pandal during heavy rainfall, with several people running while holding umbrellas.
The stampede occurred around 7.40 pm on Saturday, coinciding with Saptami celebrations, when thousands of devotees visit Durga Puja pandals across the city.
๐ช๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป, ๐ฐ๐ต๐ถ๐น๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป ๐ฎ๐บ๐ผ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐บ๐
Of the 19 people killed, 13 were women and two were minors. At least 25 others sustained injuries, with three admitted to intensive care units and one reported to be in critical condition.
The footage has raised serious questions about crowd management and the adequacy of entry and exit arrangements at the popular pandal.
The covered passage appears to have offered little room for movement as visitors became trapped in the surging crowd.
Footwear was seen scattered outside the pandal following the incident. Reports indicated that an exit gate collapsed under pressure from the crowd, worsening the situation.
๐ฆ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐ณ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ๐ฑ๐
Police have arrested seven people, including members of the organising committee, construction personnel and private security staff, after registering a suo motu case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
Those arrested include Chorbagan Durga Puja committee secretary Raj Kumar Sewda and vice-president Santanu Dubey.
Biplab Mukherjee, who was involved in constructing the bamboo structure, was also taken into custody, along with Koushik Saha and Pintu Dey, who were responsible for crowd control.
Two private security in-charges, Suman Chakraborty and Rajesh Pal, were among those arrested.
Investigators are examining whether lapses in crowd regulation, structural arrangements and emergency access contributed to the deaths.
๐๐ผ๐๐ฑ๐๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ป๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said preliminary information suggested that an announcement made over the pandal's loudspeaker system triggered a sudden rush among visitors.
"According to initial reports by the officials at the spot, the incident occurred owing to an announcement on the loudspeaker by the puja organisers," Adhikari said after visiting injured devotees at Kolkata Medical College and Hospital.
However, authorities have not established what exactly was announced.
Adhikari also said relatives of two victims had claimed that private security personnel blew whistles, prompting people waiting outside to rush towards the pandal.
These accounts remain part of the preliminary investigation, and the precise sequence of events leading to the stampede has yet to be conclusively established.
The Chief Minister urged organisers of theme-based Durga Puja celebrations to prioritise visitor safety, adequate lighting and sufficient entry and exit points.
"Lives of people are more valuable than themes," he said, warning against poorly illuminated pandals that could compromise public safety.
๐ ๐ฎ๐ท๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฎ๐น๐ ๐๐ฒ๐บ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ถ๐น๐ ๐ฐ๐น๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ
Following the tragedy, the administration directed several prominent Durga Puja organisers in Kolkata to temporarily suspend public entry as a precautionary measure.
Among the pandals affected were Tala Pratyay, Alipore Sarbojanin, Chetla Agrani and Ballygunge Sarbojonin, which typically attract large crowds during the festival.
Around 3,500 Durga Puja celebrations are being organised across Kolkata this year.
The temporary closures come amid heightened scrutiny of crowd management arrangements at major festival venues, particularly those featuring elaborate installations and restricted access passages.
The emergence of the videos has provided investigators with additional material to reconstruct the circumstances surrounding the stampede, while authorities continue examining responsibility for one of the deadliest incidents during this year's Durga Puja celebrations.