At least 17 killed in Kolkata festival crush; later report puts toll at 19

At least 17 people were killed and 25 were being treated for injuries after a crowd crush at a gathering marking the Hindu festival of Durga Puja in Kolkata, eastern India, according to reports published on Oct 17. A subsequent report published by The Japan Times on Oct 18 put the death toll at 19.¹²

Death toll and assistance

According to the BBC, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendhu Adhikari reported that the fatalities included a girl aged seven and that 25 injured people were undergoing treatment. Six of the dead had been identified at the time of his statement. The Japan Times later cited the Press Trust of India as reporting, on Adhikari’s authority, that two further deaths brought the total to 19.¹²

The Japan Times also reported that nine bodies had been returned to relatives. Injured people were taken to a local hospital, with a police officer among those hurt, according to its account. Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered condolences and wished those injured a speedy recovery. He said the regional government was assisting families affected by the incident.¹²

Accounts of the crowd movement

Witnesses cited by the BBC said sudden rain led people to move towards shelter. A senior police official told AFP that an announcement after the rain began triggered disorder, followed by people pressing against one another, moving forward and falling. The Japan Times placed that movement outside the festival pavilion, where people had been waiting at night.¹²

The Japan Times described videos that appeared to show crowds awaiting entry to the pavilion, with access through narrow lanes that could accommodate only a few people at once. These accounts described the conditions and movement around the gathering; The New York Times reported that the cause of the deadly incident remained unclear.²³

Authorities examine the incident

Authorities detained the event’s organiser and other people involved, according to The New York Times. The Japan Times reported that police had obtained closed-circuit footage and that authorities planned action against people who appeared not to have fulfilled crowd-control responsibilities.²³

The reports also cited earlier fatal crowd incidents in India. Two years ago, 121 people died at a Hindu religious gathering in Uttar Pradesh. The Japan Times reported that a stampede at the Kumbh Mela religious fair last year killed 30 people and left several others injured.¹²