At Least 17 Dead in Kolkata Durga Puja Pandal Stampede

At least 17 people died and several others were injured in a stampede at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durgotsab Samity puja pandal in central Kolkata on Saturday evening.

Eyewitnesses and police reported that the crowd crush occurred around 7:40 pm at the exit gate due to a swelling crowd and heavy rainfall.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured.