Stampede

CJP's West Bengal unit on Saturday demanded an impartial probe into the Chorabagan stampede that claimed 19 lives and called for accountability for any negligence established during the investigation. The party organised a condolence programme and a press conference to pay tribute to the victims and express solidarity with the affected families. Addressing the press conference, a Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) member called for safety audits, trained personnel, emergency evacuation plans and better coordination among emergency services. In a statement, CJP coordinator Prakriti Sahu outlined the party's demands, including timely financial assistance and medical support for the affected families and injured, stronger safety guidelines for major public gatherings and festival pandals across the state, and regular public updates on the investigation and relief measures. The party said it would submit its demands in writing to the relevant authorities and seek details of the action taken.

The treasurer of the Chorbagan Durga Puja was arrested for allegedly misleading revellers by announcing that a section of the pandal was collapsing, which appeared to have triggered panic among them and led to the stampede that claimed the lives of 19 people last week, police said on Friday. Sanjib Raha, alias Sentu, was initially detained from a hideout in Nadia district on Thursday and later arrested, a senior officer said. "There were two persons who were making announcements at the Chorbagan Durga Puja. He was one of them. He had been absconding since the incident occurred in the evening of October 17. We initially detained him in Nadia and then arrested him after hours of questioning," he said. At least 19 people died, and 25 others were injured in the stampede at the Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata following a crowd surge amid rain. The two persons, who had been making announcements at the puja pandal on the Maha Saptami day, were identified via CCTV footage, the

The elderly accounted for 28% of stampede deaths in India over the past decade, making them the most vulnerable, while religious gatherings remained a major cause of such incidents.

The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday directed that the West Bengal government set up a commission of inquiry headed by a retired judge of the court to inquire into the stampede at Chorbagan Durga puja pandal on October 17 that claimed 19 lives. A division bench presided by Chief Justice Ravindra V Ghuge said that a sitting judge of the high court cannot be appointed to head an inquiry in accordance with a Supreme Court directive, as was prayed for by the state government. The bench said a retired judge of the high court can be chosen by the West Bengal government to head the inquiry commission into the cause of the stampede and the people responsible for the incident. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari had said that a sitting judge of the high court would head a special investigation team (SIT) to be formed to probe the incident. The vacation bench of the court, in a special sitting on Navami of the Durga puja festival, was hearing a PIL by a lawyer seeking an independent and speedy pro

Police on Sunday produced before a local court the seven arrested persons in connection with the stampede at a Kolkata Durga Puja pandal, which resulted in the death of 19 people, a senior official said. Twenty-five people were also injured in the stampede at Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata, following a crowd surge amid rain on Saturday evening. "The arrested persons have been taken to Bankshall court. We would appeal for their custody," the official told PTI. Those arrested include the puja committee's secretary, vice-president and two employees of a private security agency. Police have also registered a suo motu case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder in the case.

Police say inadequate crowd control, narrow entry and exit gates and a misleading announcement may have triggered panic at the Chorbagan pandal, leaving 19 dead and 25 injured

Kolkata Police are investigating whether lapses in crowd management, confusion over entry and exit routes and heavy rain contributed to the stampede at Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal that left 19 people dead on Saturday evening, a senior officer said. Several eyewitnesses alleged that announcements about entry, exit and crowd movement were inadequate, leaving visitors confused during the rush hours. Locals also claimed that police deployment at the pandal was inadequate, alleging that personnel were mainly stationed near the VIP entrance. "I have not seen adequate police presence this year. This resulted in the mismanagement," Sanghamitra Bhowmik, a resident of the Chorbagan area, said. Locals also alleged that there was little administrative assistance in taking the injured to hospitals. "There must be some lapses, but these should be probed. Whether lapses were on the part of the organisers or they had flouted the rules to erect the pandal will be checked," the police officer told

At least 25 people were injured in a stampede-like situation arising out of a crowd surge at a community Durga Puja in north Kolkata on Saturday evening, police said. As it started raining, the crowd waiting outside the Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal rushed forward, and some of them fell on the road, leading to the stampede-like situation, a senior officer said. "At least 25 people were taken to the Kolkata Medical College and Hospital in serious condition," he said. West Bengal Health Minister Saradwat Mukherjee and senior officials rushed to the hospital. Disaster management personnel rushed to the spot.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the stampede in Kolkata is extremely distressing and announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured. At least 10 people are feared dead in a stampede following a crowd surge at a community Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata on Saturday evening. "The stampede in Kolkata is extremely distressing. My thoughts are with those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover at the earliest," Modi said in a post on X. The prime minister said the local administration is providing all possible assistance to those affected. Modi announced that an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh will be given from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund to the next of kin of each of those who lost their lives and Rs 50,000 to each injured person.

The incident occurred due to a heavy rush of devotees at the temple to offer water to lord Shiva in the month of Shravan

The Supreme Court on Tuesday pulled up the DMK for questioning Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay's scheduled meeting with the families of the Karur stampede victims, and refused to entertain its plea alleging that state ministers were influencing witnesses in the case. A partial working day bench of Justices KV Viswanathan and Alok Aradhe asked the DMK as to how can the court regulate the visit of the executive head. The bench asked the DMK, represented by senior advocate Ranjit Kumar, how does visiting stampede victims amount to influencing witnesses. Vijay is scheduled to meet the families of the stampede victims on July 10. The court told Kumar that the DMK may wish to withdraw its plea and avail any other remedy under law or else the court will dismiss it. Kumar agreed to withdraw the plea with liberty to approach any other forum. The top court dismissed the plea as withdrawn. DMK secretary RS Bharati had filed the plea seeking to restrain the Tamil Nadu chief ministe

The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to list on July 7 a plea filed by the DMK alleging that ministers in the Tamil Nadu government were "actively influencing" witnesses in the CBI probe into last year's Karur stampede case. A partial working day bench of Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Sheel Nagu agreed to list the matter on Tuesday after senior advocate Huzefa Ahmadi, appearing for DMK Secretary RS Bharati, sought an urgent hearing. The plea also seeks to restrain Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, state minister Aadhav Arjuna and other accused people from making public statements on the case and to regulate their interaction with victims' families during the pendency of the CBI probe. Ahmadi told the court that witnesses were being "actively influenced" by ministers in the state government and expressed apprehension that Vijay's proposed visit to Karur on July 10 to meet victims' families could affect the investigation. Ahmadi submitted, "This court directed a CBI probe.

TVK chief Vijay on Thursday alleged joint machination and conspiracy in the tragic stampede in Karur and also in the release of his final film 'Jananayagan,' and said that he too wanted justice in the Karur incident. The tragic stampede left 41 people dead and several injured at a rally addressed by the actor-politician on September 27, 2025. Addressing an election rally after filing his nomination papers from Tiruchirappalli East Assembly constituency, Vijay said, as many have been insisting, the Karur incident was "a joint machination." "I, who have come to ask justice for you, also want justice," the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam chief said and also claimed a conspiracy over the release of his last film Jananayagan. He flayed both the Centre and the state governments on the LPG cylinder shortage and said both the governments could have averted the crisis had they planned ahead and regulated. "Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin air dashes to Delhi if there's a raid or some issue in

At least eight women were killed in a stampede at a temple in Bihar's Nalanda district on Tuesday, Police said. The incident took place due to a heavy rush of devotees at the Shitala Mata temple on Tuesday morning, a senior officer said. Bihar Sharif Assistant Superintendent of Police Noorul Haque said, "At least eight women died in the stampede at Shitala Mata temple on Tuesday morning. Police personnel and officials of the district administration have reached the spot, and the rescue work is on." The exact cause of the stampede is not known, but there was a huge rush of devotees, said Haque, who was also present at the spot.

The CBI has asked actor and TVK chief Vijay to appear before it on March 15 here in the Karur stampede case, officials said Tuesday. The agency, which questioned Vijay twice in January, had again summoned the actor on March 9, but he had requested that it be deferred by 15 days, they said. The actor had also urged that the questioning be conducted in Chennai or any office in Tamil Nadu, citing political engagements due to upcoming assembly elections in the state, they said. The CBI has now asked him to appear on March 15 in Delhi at the agency headquarters, they said. The central probe agency has also asked the DMK MLA from Karur, Senthil Balaji, to appear for questioning on March 17, they said. In a message posted on 'X' in Tamil, Balaji, a former state minister, wrote that he intends to appear before the CBI on March 17 and give clarification regarding the Karur stampede tragedy. The CBI took over the case from an SIT following a Supreme Court order and has been gathering evide

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to issue omnibus directions on a PIL seeking comprehensive directions to prevent stampedes during large public gatherings, including religious events, political rallies and yatras. A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi permitted the petitioner to pursue the matter before the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Election Commission. At the outset, the CJI raised fundamental questions about the scope of judicial intervention in matters involving crowd management and law and order. The bench noted that the petition filed by Tumbalam Gooty Venkatesh sought a direction to the Centre to frame and implement a binding standard operating procedure (SOP) for crowd management and safety for large public gatherings. "Similar directions have been sought to implement SOP in political rallies across the country during the model code of conduct. The petitioner has also sought formulation for nationa

TVK chief and actor Vijay was at the CBI headquarters here on Monday for the second round of questioning in connection with the Karur stampede case, officials said. The actor arrived at the agency headquarters in Lodhi Road in a fleet of luxury SUVs this morning they said. He will be questioned during the day by a team of officials led by a Deputy Superintendent rank officer drawn from the Anti Corruption unit of the agency, they said. Vijay was questioned at the CBI headquarters here on January 12 for more than six hours. He was asked to come again on Tuesday last but the actor sought another date citing Pongal, they said. The federal agency took over the case from an SIT following a Supreme Court order and has been gathering evidence related to the September 27, 2025, stampede, which claimed 41 lives and left more than 60 injured in Tamil Nadu's Karur.

Vijay also told the agency that he left the venue as he felt his presence could have led to chaos and ruckus

The Delhi Police was a busy force this year, battling the violent aftermath of the Red Fort blast that left the busy area strewn with dismembered bodies, and an early morning stampede at the New Delhi Railway Station that jolted the city out of its slumber. Amid persistent bomb threats, and sensational criminal arrests -- a serial killer dubbed Doctor Death, a self-styled godman evading law enforcement -- the force found itself stretched across intelligence, investigative and public safety fronts. The year's worst tragedy unfolded on November 10, when a car bomb exploded near the Red Fort, killing 15 people and injuring more than a dozen. The blast, which shook the densely populated Chandni Chowk-Lal Qila area, prompted a massive deployment of bomb squads and forensic teams, the shutdown of the local metro station, and days-long cordoning of the blast site. The Delhi Police led the probe before the case was handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). On August 20, Delh

The city police have filed a charge sheet in a court here against 23 persons, including top Telugu actor Allu Arjun, in connection with the death of a woman in a stampede during the premiere of 'Pushpa-2' film. The theatre management has been named as the prime accused in the charge sheet filed recently, while Arjun has been named as accused no 11. Earlier, Allu Arjun was arrested after the 35-year-old woman died and her eight-year-old son was injured in the stampede during the screening of Pushpa 2' movie at Sandhya theatre here on December 4, 2024. The stampede occurred as fans gathered to catch a glimpse of the actor during the 'Pushpa 2' premiere. Following the incident, the city police registered a case against Allu Arjun, his security team, and the theatre management under different sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at the Chikkadpally police station based on a complaint lodged by the deceased woman's family. Allu Arjun was arrested on December 13, 2024 in connection