Stampede at Kolkata Durga Puja pandal injures 40 during sudden rainfall

A stampede broke out at the Chorebagan Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata after unexpected rainfall sent crowds into panic on Saturday. The incident, which occurred as devotees gathered at the popular puja venue, resulted in at least 40 people sustaining injuries during the confusion.

Witnesses reported that as rain began to fall suddenly, large numbers of visitors attempting to find shelter created a crush near the pandal exits and covered areas. The sudden surge in movement and density of the crowd led to people being knocked down and trampled in the ensuing chaos.

Emergency services responded to distress calls and rushed injured persons to nearby medical facilities for treatment. Local authorities are investigating the circumstances that led to the stampede and have appealed for eyewitness accounts to better understand how the situation escalated so rapidly.

The incident raises fresh concerns about crowd management during religious festivals and major public gatherings in the city. Durga Puja, Kolkata's most significant annual festival, typically draws massive crowds to hundreds of pandals across the metropolis, particularly during peak visiting hours and inclement weather when sheltered areas become congested.