The incident occurred at around 7:40pm local time near the exit gate of the Sarada Park, also known as Chorbagan, Durga Puja pandal in the city’s Girish Park area, according to Kolkata Police.
Police attributed the incident to heavy crowds of festivalgoers amid rainfall. The injured were rescued and taken to Medical College and Hospital for treatment.
Police reinforcements, firefighters, disaster management personnel, ambulances and medical teams were deployed to the scene, while the pandal was closed to visitors following the incident.
Adhikari said 17 people had been brought dead to hospital and 25 others were injured. He later visited the hospital where the injured were receiving treatment.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the deaths and offered condolences to the victims’ families.
The government announced compensation of 200,000 Indian rupees ($2,106) from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund for the family of each person killed. Those injured will receive 50,000 rupees each.
The West Bengal administration was also providing assistance to the affected families, the government said.
Durga Puja is one of West Bengal’s largest annual religious and cultural festivals, attracting large crowds to temporary structures known as pandals, where idols of the Hindu goddess Durga are displayed for worship.
The festival celebrates the goddess’s victory over the demon Mahishasura and features elaborate decorations, religious ceremonies and public gatherings across the state.
The exact cause of the stampede has not been independently established. Indian media reports cited differing accounts of how the incident unfolded, including the effects of rainfall and a rush of people near the venue’s entrance and exit.
