Kolkata Stampede Death Toll Rises to 19; CM Announces Rs 2.5 Lakh Aid and Jobs for Bereaved Families

The death toll in the stampede at a Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata has risen to 19, with West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announcing financial assistance of Rs 2.5 lakh and a government job for a member of each bereaved family.

The stampede occurred at the Chorbagan Sarbojonin Durga Puja pandal on Muktarambabu Street. According to the Chief Minister, 17 people died at the site, while two others succumbed to their injuries later.

Twenty-five people were injured in the incident. Of them, 24 are reported to be out of danger, while one remains in critical condition.

Adhikari said the state government would also bear the full medical expenses of those injured and provide additional compensation of Rs 5 lakh to each injured person.

The Chief Minister met the families of 13 of the 19 deceased and later visited Calcutta Medical College to meet the injured. He was accompanied by the BJP's state president and Rajya Sabha members.

The incident reportedly occurred after a section of the exit-gate structure collapsed, triggering panic among visitors and leading to a stampede.

Expressing concern over crowd safety, Adhikari urged organisers of the state's approximately 58,000 Durga Puja celebrations to follow all prescribed safety measures. These include effective crowd management, adequate lighting, clearly marked entry and exit routes, and compliance with instructions issued by the police and fire services.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed condolences over the loss of lives and wished those injured a speedy recovery. He said the state government was providing assistance to those affected.

The Prime Minister's Office announced ex-gratia assistance of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) to the next of kin of each deceased person and Rs 50,000 to each injured person.

The tragedy has once again highlighted the importance of robust crowd-control arrangements, secure entry and exit structures, and strict enforcement of safety guidelines at large religious gatherings.

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