Durga Puja Stampede: 17 Casualties, 35 Injured at Kolkata's Chowbagan Pandal

A stampede occurred at the Chowbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata, leading to 17 casualties and leaving 35 people injured. The 90-year-old Puja, which was established in 1936, is situated along a narrow lane off Central Avenue. Following the incident, Kolkata Police personnel alongside civic volunteers were deployed in large numbers to secure the area, rendering the pandal out of bounds for the public. Visuals of the incident circulated widely across social media, casting a somber mood over the annual celebrations. Durga Puja in Kolkata, recognised as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO, witnesses massive crowds every year as committees compete for awards and public engagement. Observers noted that while the scale of the festival expands annually, crowd-management systems at narrow venues require strict scaling up. A formal inquiry is expected to establish the exact trigger behind the stampede.