Dozens Killed and Injured in Stampede at Religious Gathering in India
At least 19 people were killed and about 25 others were injured on Saturday in eastern India, when a stampede broke out following a sudden downpour during a Hindu religious gathering, according to authorities and local media.
The Chief Minister of West Bengal, Suvendu Adhikari, told reporters that a 7-year-old girl was among the dead, adding that 25 other people were injured outside a pavilion designated for celebrating the Hindu festival of "Durga Puja" in Kolkata. "The identities of 6 victims have been confirmed," he added, according to Agence France-Presse.
A senior police official reported that an announcement caused "confusion" after the rain began at night, explaining that "the crowd waiting outside the pavilion started to move forward quickly, and then people fell to the ground, leading to the stampede."
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi commented on the incident in a brief post on Facebook, saying: "The stampede in Kolkata is painful. My sympathies are with the bereaved families, and I wish the injured a speedy recovery."
Deadly stampedes are recurrent at mass gatherings in India, especially during religious events, due to poor organization and gaps in safety measures.
Last year, a stampede during the "Kumbh Mela" religious festival resulted in the deaths of 30 people and injured others, while 11 fans died in Bengaluru during celebrations for their city's team winning its first Indian Premier League cricket title.
In the same year, 36 people were killed in a stampede during an election rally for an actor-turned-politician in the southern state of Tamil Nadu.
In 2024, a stampede during a Hindu religious gathering in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh killed 121 people.
المصدر: Open sources
