Kolkata stampede kills 19 at Durga Puja gathering

A stampede outside a Durga Puja pavilion in Kolkata killed at least 19 people and injured 25 on Saturday, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendhu Adhikari and Indian media reported.

Adhikari said the dead included a seven-year-old girl. He initially announced 17 fatalities, before the Press Trust of India reported that the toll had risen to 19, citing a later statement from him.

A senior police official at the scene told AFP that rain began at night and an announcement caused commotion among people waiting outside the pavilion. The official said people pushed forward and fell, leading to the stampede.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences to the families of those killed and wished the injured a speedy recovery. He said the West Bengal government was providing help to affected families.

PTI reported that nine bodies had been released to families. It also said police had taken CCTV footage from the festival and that authorities would act against people seen to have failed in crowd-control responsibilities.

The Indian Express said videos filmed before the stampede appeared to show large crowds waiting to enter the pavilion in an area with narrow lanes.