19 Killed in Kolkata Stampede
Rush began as rain fell on dark and narrow path leading to puja pandal
Shoes seen on the road leading to the pandal . Photo: Collected
It was raining. On the evening of Saptami during Durga Puja, crowds of people gathered at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Puja pandal in north Kolkata, West Bengal, India. However, the entrance and exit routes were narrow for such a large number of visitors. There was also insufficient lighting.
Amid this situation, an announcement was made. A rush began. Several people fell. Within moments, the situation spiraled out of control.
At least 19 people were killed in the stampede on Saturday evening. Among the deceased were 13 women and one child. At least 25 people were injured.
Kolkata Police said the stampede occurred at around 7:40 pm along the exit route from the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Puja pandal in the Girish Park police station area. According to police, the situation developed because of the massive crowd at the pandal amid the rain.
Relatives mourn outside the pandal . Photo: Collected
Several factors have emerged in accounts of the incident. These include the massive crowd, rain, narrow entrance and exit routes, darkness and the sudden rush of people. An announcement by the organizers may also have worsened the situation.
An account from a person who was at the scene further illustrates the severity of the incident. His daughter and granddaughter were taken to the hospital.
He said the entrance was very narrow. The exit route was also narrow. There were no lights in the area.
The queue to enter the puja pandal was nearly 90 minutes long. As it was raining, everyone was also trying to get inside quickly.
The eyewitness said, “The place was very narrow. It was dark. There was not a single light. Two people fell because of the darkness.”
He also fell. A little girl and a boy fell in front of him. Many people then fell on top of them.
He claimed that he did not see any police officers or volunteers at the scene at that time.
After visiting the hospital, Chief Minister Shuvendu Adhikari said an announcement by the organizers had triggered a rush among visitors. In his view, that rush led to this “tragic incident.”
In other words, several circumstances came together rather than a single factor causing the tragedy. The crowd was already massive. The space for movement was narrow. The darkness made it difficult to understand what was happening ahead. The rain prompted people to move quickly. An announcement then suddenly changed the movement of the crowd.
Visitors rush at the entrance to the pandal . Photo: Collected
Police said the injured were rescued and taken to Medical College and Hospital. Additional police personnel were dispatched from the control room. Fire service personnel, the Kolkata Police disaster management team and ambulances carrying medical personnel were also deployed. The puja pandal was later closed to visitors.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the incident. He announced compensation of 200,000 rupees for the family of each deceased person. Modi also wished the injured a speedy recovery.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah also expressed grief. He said he had suspended all his scheduled programs in West Bengal on Sunday so he could visit the injured at the hospital.
Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee said he had never witnessed such an incident before. He criticized Kolkata Police, West Bengal Police and the government led by Shuvendu Adhikari over the incident.
Thus, several risks combined to produce a devastating outcome on the evening of Saptami during the festival. A sudden rush amid narrow routes, darkness, rain and a massive crowd ultimately claimed 19 lives.
Source: NDTV (Adapted)
