At least 17 people lost their lives and roughly 25 others were hurt on Saturday in Kolkata, West Bengal, after an unexpected rainstorm set off a stampede at a [Durga Puja](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durga_Puja) gathering, officials said.
**Who reported the casualties?**
West Bengal’s Chief Minister [Suvendu Adhikari](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suvendu_Adhikari) told reporters that the death toll included a seven‑year‑old girl and that 25 individuals were injured outside a pavilion in the city of [Kolkata](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kolkata). He added, "Six bodies have so far been identified."
**What caused the panic?**
A senior police officer at the scene explained to AFP that an announcement made as rain began to fall at night created commotion. The crowd waiting outside the pandal (pavilion) started pushing, pulling and rushing forward, causing people to fall and triggering the stampede.
**How common are such incidents?**
Mass crowd disasters are a recurring problem at Indian religious events, often linked to inadequate crowd control and safety lapses. Last year, a stampede at the Kumbh Mela pilgrimage claimed 30 lives, while a celebration for Bengaluru’s IPL title saw 11 fans crushed. The same year, a political rally in Tamil Nadu resulted in 36 deaths, and earlier in 2024, 121 people died in a Hindu gathering in Uttar Pradesh.
**What is being done?**
Authorities have begun identifying the victims and are investigating the circumstances that led to the tragedy, with calls for stricter crowd‑management protocols at large public events.