Prime Minister Narendra Modi expresses grief over Kolkata stampede fatalities

NEW DELHI — Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief on Saturday over the deaths caused by a stampede at a Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata, assuring that all possible assistance would be provided to the victims and their families.

At least 17 people died in the stampede at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durgotsab Samity puja pandal in Kolkata. Following the tragedy, authorities closed the affected pandal along with several others that had been drawing massive crowds of visitors.

The incident drew condolences from senior political leaders nationwide. “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. The local administration is providing all possible assistance to those affected,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a post on X.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced the postponement of his scheduled programmes in West Bengal for Sunday in response to the tragedy. In a statement on X, Shah said he had received news of the multiple casualties and had spoken with Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari regarding the situation.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, and Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi also shared messages expressing their condolences over the fatalities and wishing a swift recovery to those injured in the stampede.