Kolkata religious festival stampede kills 17, injures 25 in India

At least 17 people, including a seven-year-old girl, were killed and 25 others injured in a stampede during a Hindu religious festival in Kolkata, the capital of India’s eastern state of West Bengal, local media reported on Sunday.

According to Indian media reports, the incident occurred outside a festival venue as large crowds gathered to enter the event. Sudden rainfall reportedly triggered panic among people waiting outside the venue, causing the crowd to surge forward and resulting in a deadly crush.

West Bengal’s chief minister confirmed the deaths, while authorities said only six of the victims had been identified so far.

The incident has raised fresh concerns about crowd management and public safety at large religious gatherings in India, where overcrowding has repeatedly led to deadly accidents.

Reports indicated that people had been waiting to enter the festival venue when the weather suddenly changed at night. As rain began falling, confusion spread through the crowd, and people rushed towards the entrance, leaving several trapped in the crush.

Emergency responders assisted the injured, who were taken for medical treatment. Further details about the victims and the circumstances surrounding the incident were not immediately available.

Deadly crowd crushes raise safety concerns

India has witnessed several fatal stampedes at major public gatherings in recent years.

Last year, at least 30 people were killed in a stampede during the Kumbh Mela, one of the world’s largest religious gatherings.

In another incident, 11 people died in Bengaluru during celebrations after a local cricket team secured its first Indian Premier League title. The victory celebrations drew large crowds, resulting in a deadly crush.

The latest tragedy in Kolkata has once again highlighted the dangers posed by overcrowding, sudden crowd movements and inadequate crowd-control measures at major events.

Authorities are expected to establish the precise circumstances that led to the stampede as information about the victims continues to emerge.