Nineteen people were killed in a stampede at the Chor Bazaar Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata, West Bengal, India, on Saturday (October 17). The incident occurred at around 8pm amid heavy rain, overcrowding and panic, according to eyewitnesses.

An eyewitness named Binay Kumar told news agency ANI that people inside the pandal were reluctant to leave because of the rain. As more people entered, the crowd grew denser, creating a dangerous crush. He claimed that although police were present at the scene, they were unable to control the crowd.

According to eyewitness accounts, members of the pandal committee had been asking people to leave to reduce overcrowding. At one point, an announcement warned that the pandal could collapse under the pressure of the crowd. The warning reportedly triggered panic, leading to the stampede.

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said 25 injured people were receiving treatment at hospitals. One of them was in critical condition, while the others were stable.

The chief minister announced compensation of 2.5 million rupees for each victim’s family, along with a Grade-D government job for one family member. Each injured person will receive 500,000 rupees, he said.

Adhikari said CCTV footage from the site would be examined and warned that strict action would be taken if the investigation found any negligence. Twelve people, including members of the Durga Puja pandal committee, have been detained in connection with the incident.

Among the deceased were 14 women and one child. The remaining victims were adult men.