Durga Puja, a multi-day annual Hindu festival in the state of West Bengal, draws huge crowds to temporary structures known as pandals that house idols of the goddess Durga.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the tragedy in a short statement on Facebook.
“The stampede in Kolkata is saddening. Condolences to the bereaved families. Wishing the injured a speedy recovery,” he wrote.
“The West Bengal Government is providing all possible help to the affected families.”
In a post on social media platform X, Modi announced a compensation payment of 200,000 rupees (US$2,100) for the next of kin of those who died and 50,000 rupees each for the injured.
Adhikari originally announced 17 fatalities. The Press Trust of India (PTI) reported the death toll rose by two to 19, quoting Adhikari in a later statement.
Nine dead bodies have been released to their families, the PTI reported.
It also said police have taken the closed-circuit footage of the festival and authorities would initiate action against those seen on CCTV who appeared to fail in their responsibility for crowd control.
Videos shot before the stampede appeared to show large crowds of people waiting to enter the pavilion, in an area with narrow lanes that allow only a few people to walk in at a time, according to Indian Express.
Deadly crowd incidents are a frequent occurrence at Indian mass events, such as religious festivals, due to poor management and safety lapses.
Last year, a stampede at India’s Kumbh Mela religious fair killed 30 people and injured several others, and 11 fans were crushed to death in Bengaluru during celebrations for the local cricket team’s first Indian Premier League title.
The same year, 36 people were killed after a stampede broke out at a campaign rally of a popular actor-turned-politician in southern Tamil Nadu state.
In 2024, 121 people were killed in northern Uttar Pradesh state during a Hindu religious gathering.
