Kolkata Durga Puja Stampede: Amit Shah and CM Suvendu Adhikari Visit Injured
19 dead and 25 injured in a tragic Kolkata Durga Puja stampede. Amit Shah and CM Suvendu Adhikari visit victims as SIT probe begins.
In a somber visit to Apollo Hospital in Kolkata on Sunday, October 18, 2026, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari met with the survivors of the horrific Kolkata Durga Puja stampede. The visit follows a catastrophic event that claimed 19 lives and left dozens fighting for their lives in the wake of a crowd control failure during the city's biggest festival.
The Tragedy at Chorbagan Pandal
The disaster unfolded on Saturday evening, October 17, between 7:15 PM and 7:40 PM at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal in North Kolkata. What was meant to be a celebration turned into a nightmare as a massive surge of people led to a deadly stampede. Among the 19 deceased were 13 women and one child, while 25 others sustained injuries.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who described the tragedy as "extremely distressing," had been in close coordination with Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari to oversee the rescue operations and ensure that medical aid reached the victims without delay.
Massive Compensation and Government Aid
The West Bengal government has announced a significant relief package for the victims' families. The next of kin for each deceased person will receive ₹25 lakh and a Group D government job. Those injured in the crush will be given ₹5 lakh, with the state covering all their medical expenses.
Adding to the support, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his deep grief over the incident. He announced an ex-gratia payment from the PMNRF, providing ₹2 lakh to the families of the deceased and ₹50,000 to those injured.
Crackdown on Negligence: 7 Arrested
Authorities have moved swiftly to hold the organizers accountable. Seven individuals linked to the event have been arrested, including high-ranking members of the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja committee:
- Rajkumar Seoda (Secretary)
- Santanu Dubey (Vice-President)
- Biplab Mukhopadhyay (Structure Coordinator)
- Kaushik Saha and Pintu De (Crowd Management Leads)
- Suman Chakraborty and Rajesh Pal (Private Security Employees)
A case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder has been registered against the accused.
SIT Probe and Safety Overhaul
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been established to uncover the exact cause of the disaster. Preliminary findings suggest a lethal combination of narrow pathways, inadequate crowd management, and misleading announcements, all exacerbated by heavy rainfall at the time of the incident.
To ensure such a tragedy is not repeated, Chief Minister Adhikari has ordered a high-level committee to inspect safety arrangements at all major pandals across West Bengal. This committee includes:
- Rajesh Sinha (Principal Secretary, Disaster Management)
- Anuj Sharma (Director General, Fire Services)
- Javed Shamim (ADG, Law and Order)
Furthermore, a formal probe will be conducted under the supervision of a sitting judge of the Calcutta High Court.
Law and Order Measures
To prevent further unrest, Kolkata Police Commissioner Ajay Kumar Nand has imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the BNSS, 2023, in parts of the Bowbazar area from October 18 to October 20.
The administration has also set up a dedicated toll-free helpline, 18003455678, to assist the affected families and provide necessary information.