Stampede at Kolkata Hindu festival kills 19, injures 25

A stampede occurred during the Hindu festival of Durga Puja in Kolkata, India, resulting in at least 19 deaths and 25 injuries, WRAL reported.

The incident happened on a Saturday night when heavy rain caused a crowd near a pavilion to rush for cover, according to the Daily Advertiser and Goulburn Post.

Among the deceased was a seven-year-old girl, Al Jazeera English reported.

Authorities advised the temporary closure of Kolkata's most heavily attended Durga Puja venues following the stampede, as reported by the Daily Advertiser and Goulburn Post.

The Chief Minister of West Bengal announced an investigation led by a High Court judge and said police detained some pavilion organizers and security staff to probe potential crowd-control and safety lapses, according to the Daily Advertiser and Goulburn Post.

Crowd crushes during religious festivals are relatively common in India, with previous incidents cited including a 2025 stampede during the Maha Kumbh festival and a 2013 tragedy at a temple in Madhya Pradesh, the Daily Advertiser and Goulburn Post noted.