Kolkata durga puja stampede: President, PM, HM Shah express grief; Congress questions police response

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said he had spoken to West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari about the incident. He also announced that he would postpone all his scheduled programmes in the state on Sunday, October 18, to visit the injured in hospital.

President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday expressed grief over the deaths in a stampede at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata, extending condolences to the bereaved families and wishing the injured a speedy recovery.

In a post on social media, President Murmu said the news of the deaths was heartbreaking. “The news of the deaths of people in a Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata is extremely heartbreaking. I express my deepest condolences to all the bereaved families. I pray for the swift recovery of those who have been injured,” she said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed sadness over the incident and offered condolences to the families of those who lost their lives.

“The stampede in Kolkata is saddening. Condolences to the bereaved families. Wishing the injured a speedy recovery. The West Bengal Government is providing all possible help to the affected families,” the Prime Minister said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) to the next of kin of each person who died. Those injured will receive Rs 50,000 each.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said he had spoken to West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari about the incident. He also announced that he would postpone all his scheduled programmes in the state on Sunday, October 18, to visit the injured in hospital.

“I have just received the extremely distressing news of multiple casualties after the stampede at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal. I have spoken with Chief Minister Shri Suvendu Adhikari about this matter. I pray for the peace of the souls of those who have lost their lives in this tragic accident and extend my deepest condolences to the bereaved family members,” Shah said.

He added that the administration was making arrangements for the best possible medical treatment for the injured and prayed for their speedy recovery.

West Bengal Governor RN Ravi also expressed deep sorrow over the incident, saying he was heartbroken by the loss of precious lives. He extended his condolences to the bereaved families and wished the injured a speedy recovery.

Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said she was deeply shocked and saddened by the incident at the Chore Bagan Puja pandal. She prayed to Maa Durga for the speedy recovery of those injured and for strength and courage for their families.

West Bengal Minister Nisith Pramanik described the incident as a “pandal collapse” and said the state government was working to ensure prompt medical care and immediate relief for those affected.

“Deeply saddened by the pandal collapse in Chorbagan. My thoughts are with those injured and their families during this difficult time. Our government is working tirelessly to ensure prompt medical care, immediate relief and every possible support for those affected. We stand firmly beside every affected family. Praying for the speedy recovery of all those injured,” he said.

Congress Questions Police Response

West Bengal Congress president Subhankar Sarkar said the Congress party would extend full cooperation to the state government, adding that party volunteers were helping in efforts to save lives. However, he questioned the police response during the incident and alleged that calls to the control room at Lalbazar had gone unanswered.

“We, the entire Congress party, have made a decision to extend our full cooperation to the government. Our volunteers are actively engaged in efforts to save lives. Where was the police when the actual incident took place? The public is asking this question today. Furthermore, there was no response even after calls were made to the control room at Lalbazar,” Sarkar said.

He added that local residents had raised concerns about the police response when he visited the Chorbagan area. Calling the incident deeply tragic, he urged the government to provide compensation and employment to the families of those who lost their lives.

What Happened At The Chorbagan Pandal?

According to Kolkata Police, the incident took place at around 7.40 pm on Saturday at the exit gate of the Sarada Park Durga Puja pandal under Girish Park police station. Heavy crowds of pandal visitors, coupled with rainfall, led to a rush at the exit gate.

Police said the injured were rescued and taken to Medical College and Hospital (MCH), with around 35 people shifted there according to the information available at the time. The pandal was closed to visitors following the incident, and senior Kolkata Police and Fire Brigade officials reached the spot.

Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos, claiming that several people fainted and some were taken away on motorcycles. One eyewitness said the entrance and exit were narrow and alleged that there was inadequate lighting. The eyewitness also said their daughter and granddaughter had been hospitalised.

TMC leader Kunal Ghosh described the incident as unfortunate and said the immediate priority was to save lives. He said devotees were being taken to Medical College and requested additional medical staff, adding that police personnel and workers were assisting with rescue efforts.

The West Bengal government issued a toll-free helpline number, 18003455678, for assistance related to the incident.

(With agencies' inputs)

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