Union Home Minister Amit Shah will meet people injured in the deadly stampede at a Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata on Sunday, October 18, 2026.
Shah has postponed his plans for visits in West Bengal, after 19 people were killed and 25 injured as a result of the tragedy, according to reports.
The stampede took place on Saturday evening at Chorebagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata. The crowd came out of nowhere and the festival-goers who were in the vicinity of the venue were in panic.
Heavy rain and a sudden influx of visitors were said to have contributed to the wave of people with whom they were stuck in the crush.
Amit Shah Postpones Bengal Programmes
Shah expressed his grief over the incident and said he had spoken to West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari about it. He also expressed his condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.
Following the incident, the Home Minister postponed his state trips to visit the hospital and meet the patients. As doctors and families are treating the injured and supporting them he will go to the hospital and meet them.
The tragedy has galvanized political leaders in both parties and the world's leaders all want the injured to receive the best possible treatment.
VIDEO | Kolkata: Home Minister Amit Shah welcomed by CM Suvendu Adhikari upon his arrival at the airport. Artists greet the Home Minister with traditional performances ahead of his visit to Durga Puja pandals. (Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/d8jp61yd2p) https://t.co/MNI82TyS69
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 17, 2026
What Happened at the Durga Puja Pandal
The stampede took place at Chorebagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal on Saturday evening in torrential rain and a large crowd of devotees there. According to preliminary reports, a sudden surge in the crowd near the entrance and exit area caused panic and people fell over one another.
Witness accounts in media reports point to congestion around the narrow access route and difficulties in moving through the crowded venue. The circumstances of the incident are being investigated by the authorities.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari visited the hospital after the incident. The puja organising committee and private security personnel were detained for questioning, officials said. The investigation will examine how the crowd was managed so that visitors can move forward and leave safely.
PM Modi Announces Financial Assistance
Narendra Modi expressed sorrow for the loss of lives and announced financial assistance to the victims' families. Under the relief measures, ₹2 lakh will be available to the next of kin of each deceased person from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund. People injured in the incident will receive ₹50,000 each.
This year, the West Bengal administration has also taken the emergency seriously and has also organized for the aid of those affected. Many Durga Puja pandals are temporarily closed as a precautionary measure following the tragedy, the government said.
Investigation and Crowd Safety in Focus
The incident has raised new concerns about crowd management, emergency exits and safety at large religious events. Durga Puja attracts thousands of people every year to Kolkata and pandals are popular and the festival attracts heavy crowds.
Investigators will need to establish the sequence of events that led to the stampede and whether there were adequate crowd-control measures. The detentions of the organisers and security personnel are part of the investigation but do not, by themselves, establish responsibility.
As Amit Shah approaches to meet the injured, his attention is not only on their recovery, but on dealing with grieving families and the investigation into one of the festival’s most tragic events this year.
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