A stampede at a Durga Puja festival in Kolkata killed at least 17 people. Heavy rain caused a panicked crowd to surge for shelter.
A deadly stampede occurred during a Hindu festival in Kolkata, India. At least 17 people died at the Durga Puja event. Many others suffered injuries during the chaos.
Also, the tragedy happened when heavy rain began to fall. Large groups of people rushed to find shelter at the same time. This surge created a dangerous situation for everyone nearby.
Next, local officials confirmed the death toll includes a young girl. She was only seven years old. Medical teams are currently treating at least 25 injured individuals.
Meanwhile, authorities have identified six of the victims so far. West Bengal official Suvendhu Adhikari shared these sad updates with the public. Rescue workers continue to assist those in need.
Then, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about the event. He called the situation a tragic loss for the community. He noted that the government is supporting the grieving families.
After that, a police officer explained how the disaster started. An announcement during the rain caused a sudden commotion. People began pushing and pulling each other in the confusion.
As a result, many people fell to the ground. The rushing crowd trampled those who were down. This led to the stampede that caused the loss of life.
Still, incidents like this happen occasionally at religious events in India. Experts often blame poor crowd management. They also point to a lack of proper safety measures.
Finally, the nation remembers previous similar disasters. Two years ago, 121 people lost their lives in Uttar Pradesh. That event also occurred during a large religious gathering.