Seven arrested after deadly stampede at Kolkata Durga Puja pandal

A local court in Kolkata heard arguments for police custody of seven individuals arrested in connection with a catastrophic stampede at a Durga Puja pandal that left 19 people dead and 25 others injured. The stampede occurred at the Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata on Saturday evening when a sudden surge in the crowd developed during rainfall.

Among those produced before Bankshall court were the puja committee's secretary and vice-president, along with two employees of a private security firm engaged for the event. Police sought custody of the accused to pursue their investigation into the circumstances that led to the tragedy.

Authorities have registered a suo motu case under charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The case has prompted scrutiny into crowd management protocols and safety measures at major religious gatherings in the city.

The stampede marks one of the deadliest incidents at a public gathering in Kolkata in recent years, raising concerns about event supervision and emergency preparedness among civic officials and pandal organizers across West Bengal.