Eyewitnesses and investigators have pieced together the harrowing sequence of events that led to the devastating stampede at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Puja Pandal in Kolkata, which claimed 19 lives on Saturday night (October 17, 2026).
According to eyewitness Binay Kumar, who spoke to news agency ANI, the disaster began when sudden, heavy downpours forced thousands of visitors to crowd inside the pandal structure for shelter. Despite police presence, authorities struggled to manage the overwhelming influx. The situation turned catastrophic when organizers repeatedly urged crowds to evacuate through loudspeaker announcements, eventually warning over the microphone that "the pandal might collapse due to excessive weight." This announcement triggered immediate panic and a desperate rush toward exits, resulting in the fatal crush.
In response to the tragedy, police have arrested 12 members of the puja organizing committee. State leadership confirmed that CCTV footage from the venue is undergoing rigorous forensic examination to establish accountability and negligence. The state government's compensation package—₹25 lakh and a Grade-D government job for each deceased family, along with ₹5 lakh for the 25 injured—remains under active implementation as hospital authorities monitor the survivors.
— Daily Best News Desk • Fearless in the search for truth
Reported by International Desk • Edited by the Daily Best News desk. Send corrections to [email protected].
