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India Festival Stampede Kills 17
17 Oct
Summary
- A stampede at a religious festival in north Kolkata killed at least 17 people.
- Several others sustained injuries in the tragic incident.
- The festival, Durga Puja, is the largest annual celebration for Hindus in West Bengal.
A devastating stampede at a religious festival in north Kolkata has claimed the lives of at least 17 individuals. Numerous others sustained injuries in the tragic crush that occurred on Saturday, October 16, 2026. The incident unfolded during the vibrant Durga Puja celebrations, the paramount annual festival for Hindus in India's eastern state of West Bengal.
Durga Puja draws immense crowds, with thousands of devotees flocking to temporary structures called pandals. These pandals are erected to house elaborate idols of the goddess Durga, drawing worshippers and onlookers alike. The scale of participation in the festival underscores the potential for such tragic accidents in densely populated celebratory spaces.
