A crowd crush during a religious festival in Kolkata, India, has left at least 17 people dead and many others injured.
A deadly crowd crush occurred in Kolkata, India. At least 17 people died during a Durga Puja festival event. Many other attendees suffered injuries during the chaos.
Also, the tragedy happened when sudden rain began to fall. Witnesses say the crowd rushed to find shelter from the storm. This movement led to a dangerous surge of people.
Next, officials confirmed that a seven-year-old girl is among the deceased. Rescue teams are currently treating 25 injured people. Authorities have identified six of the victims so far.
Meanwhile, a senior police officer explained the cause of the stampede. An announcement made during the rain sparked panic. People began pushing and rushing forward in the confusion.
Then, many individuals fell to the ground during the panic. The crowd trampled those who had fallen. This resulted in the high number of casualties.
Furthermore, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his deep sadness. He called the event a tragic incident. He noted that the local government is helping the affected families.
However, deadly crowd stampedes happen occasionally at religious events in India. Experts often blame poor management for these disasters. Many sites lack proper safety precautions for large gatherings.
Finally, history shows the danger of these large crowds. Two years ago, a stampede in Uttar Pradesh killed 121 people. Such events continue to highlight the need for better crowd control.