At least 19 people were killed in a stampede during celebrations for the Hindu festival of Durga Puja in Kolkata, the capital of the state of West Bengal. A further 25 people are receiving medical treatment.
The tragedy occurred on the evening of Saturday, 17 October, according to local officials.
According to police, a large crowd had gathered outside the festival pavilion. When it began to rain, people rushed to find shelter. Several visitors fell onto the road, after which a stampede ensued.
The state’s Chief Minister, Suvendu Adhikari, visited the medical college and hospital in Kolkata where the injured had been taken. He announced an investigation into the circumstances of the tragedy. This will be carried out by a special investigation team led by a judge from the state’s High Court.
The police have detained several organisers of the festival pavilion, private security staff and on-duty personnel. Law enforcement officers are investigating whether safety regulations were breached and whether the crowd was properly managed.
Some of the festival venues have been closed
Durga Puja is an annual Hindu festival in honour of the goddess Durga, accompanied by mass religious gatherings.
This year, around 3,500 festival pavilions, known as pandals, were erected in Kolkata. Following the tragedy, the authorities recommended that several of the most popular celebration venues temporarily stop admitting visitors.
An investigation is set to determine what led to the deaths and whether the tragedy could have been prevented.