NEW DELHI: At least 17 people were killed and 25 others injured on Saturday in eastern India after a stampede, likely triggered by sudden rainfall during a religious gathering, officials said. West Bengal's opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari told reporters that the fatalities included a seven-year-old girl, adding that the incident occurred outside a pavilion during the Durga Puja festival in the city of Kolkata.
"Six bodies have so far been identified," Adhikari said. A senior police official at the scene stated that the stampede occurred as crowds rushed to find shelter from the rain.
The sudden downpour caused panic among the thousands gathered, leading to a chaotic rush toward the exits and covered areas, which resulted in the fatal crush. Deadly crowd incidents are a frequent occurrence at mass events in India, such as religious festivals, often due to poor management and safety lapses.
Authorities are currently investigating whether the venue had adequate emergency exits and crowd control measures in place to handle the large number of attendees present for the festivities. Last year, a stampede at the Kumbh Mela religious fair resulted in 30 deaths, while 11 fans were crushed to death in Bengaluru during celebrations for a local cricket team's Indian Premier League (IPL) title.
These recurring tragedies have sparked widespread public debate regarding the necessity of stricter safety protocols at public gatherings. In the same year, 36 people were killed in a stampede at a political rally in Tamil Nadu.
Additionally, in 2024, 121 people lost their lives during a religious gathering in Uttar Pradesh. The government has faced mounting pressure to implement more rigorous crowd management strategies to prevent such catastrophic losses of life in the future.
Local hospitals are currently treating the 25 injured individuals, with several reported to be in critical condition. Emergency services remain on high alert as the investigation into the specific lapses that led to the tragedy continues.
The state government has announced compensation for the families of the victims.