Kolkata Stampede: Narrow Gates, No Lighting? Eyewitnesses Raise Questions Over Crowd Safety (Videos)

At least 17 people were killed and several others injured in a stampede at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata on Saturday, October 17, after heavy rainfall and a surge of visitors led to overcrowding. Eyewitnesses have raised questions about the narrow entry and exit gates and inadequate lighting in the area, while authorities investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Kolkata Stampede: Eyewitnesses Point to Narrow Gates, Poor Lighting

An eyewitness whose daughter and granddaughter were among those injured told news agency IANS that both the entrance and exit gates were narrow and that there was no proper lighting in the area. Kolkata Durga Puja Pandal Stampede: 17 Dead, 15 Injured; Amit Shah Speaks to Suvendu Adhikari, Postpones Bengal Programmes.

The witness also described a long queue at the entrance and said the situation became difficult as rain began and visitors hurried to enter the pandal. According to the account, people fell amid the congestion, while others struggled to move through the crowded passage.

Another eyewitness account described people losing consciousness during the crowd crush. Some injured visitors were reportedly taken to hospital on motorcycles as people attempted to help those caught in the rush.

Visuals Emerge From Incident Spot

VIDEO | Kolkata: Visuals from the incident spot. At least 17 people died and 25 others were injured in a stampede-like situation at a Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata on Saturday evening.

As it started raining, people waiting outside the Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal rushed forward, and some fell on the road, leading to the stampede.

#Kolkata #DurgaPuja #Stampede

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 17, 2026

Eyewitness Flags Narrow Gates, No Lighting

Kolkata, West Bengal: Following reports of a stampede-like situation at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal, an eye witness says, "...The entrance was very narrow, and the exit gate was also narrow. There was no lighting in the area....My daughter and grand daughter is hospitalized..."

— IANS (@ians_india) October 17, 2026

Heavy Rain and Crowd Surge Preceded Stampede

According to Kolkata Police, the stampede occurred at around 7:40 pm at the exit gate of the Sarada Park (Chorbagan) Puja Pandal, under the Girish Park police station area. Police attributed the incident to a heavy crowd of visitors amid rainfall. Kolkata Durga Puja Pandal Stampede: 17 Dead, 15 Injured, Says West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari.

A police officer said people waiting outside rushed towards the pandal when it began raining, following which some fell on the road and triggered a stampede. The incident took place during Durga Puja festivities on Saptami, when large numbers of devotees were visiting pandals across Kolkata.

Kolkata Stampede: Rescue Operations and Pandal Closure

Police said the injured were rescued and shifted to Medical College and Hospital (MCH) for treatment. Reinforcements from the police control room, fire brigade and Disaster Management Group, along with ambulances and medical teams, were deployed following the incident.

The Chorbagan pandal was subsequently closed to visitors. The incident has raised questions about crowd management, the adequacy of entry and exit arrangements, lighting and emergency response at crowded public events.

However, the eyewitness accounts reflect their observations and do not by themselves establish the cause of the stampede. The precise sequence of events and whether any safety arrangements were inadequate remain matters for investigation.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 18, 2026 12:00 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).