Kolkata Stampede Aftermath: 7 Arrested, Amit Shah Meets Victims

By GlobalDeskNews Staff — October 18, 2026

This is a developing-story update to our October 17 report on the Chorbagan pandal stampede. Since then: seven arrests, a culpable homicide case, a judge-led investigation, and a hospital visit by the Union Home Minister.

Kolkata woke on Sunday to the full weight of Saturday evening's disaster at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata, where a crowd surge amid rain killed 19 people and injured 25, police said. By mid-morning, seven people — including organisers of the celebrations — had been arrested over alleged crowd-management failures, a suo motu culpable homicide case had been registered, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah had visited the injured in hospital.

Seven arrested, 14 detained overnight

A senior IPS officer told news agency PTI that 14 people were detained on Saturday night as part of the investigation, and seven of them were subsequently arrested. "We have arrested seven people. They were among the 14 detained last night. More arrests may be made," the officer said.

Those arrested include organisers of the Chorbagan Durga Puja celebrations — reportedly the puja committee's secretary and vice-president, according to the Gujarat Samachar. Police are probing alleged lapses in crowd management, security arrangements and announcements, and are examining CCTV footage, questioning witnesses and recording survivors' accounts.

A senior officer said poor crowd management, inadequate security deployment and misleading announcements may have triggered panic, after an exit gate collapsed under heavy crowd pressure. One account described crowds rushing through a narrow rain-soaked bylane for shelter, setting off a chain reaction of falls.

Amit Shah meets the injured

Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited a private nursing home in Kolkata on Sunday to meet those injured, an official said. Shah, who cancelled his scheduled Durga Puja engagements in the city, also visited the Kalighat Kali Temple alongside Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, News18 reported. State Health Minister Dr Sharadwat Mukherjee separately visited Apollo Hospital.

Chief Minister Adhikari said the Prime Minister had been informed. "The Home Minister is himself in Kolkata, and is personally monitoring the situation," he said on Saturday.

BJP national president Nitin Nabin called the stampede a "tragic event for all of us," while President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President CP Radhakrishnan and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla also expressed grief on Sunday morning.

Judge-led SIT probe ordered

The West Bengal government will write to the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court seeking a Special Investigation Team headed by a sitting judge, Adhikari announced. The team will include the Special Task Force, the Crime Investigation Department and other departments, with autopsies underway and CCTV footage being analysed.

Cabinet Minister Umesh Rai described the incident as a case of mismanagement. Authorities shut the Chorbagan pandal along with other high-footfall venues — including Chetla Agrani and Tala Prottay — as a precaution, and Adhikari ordered a safety review of all major pandals across West Bengal. "People's lives come first, not themes," he said of the risks of large theme-based celebrations that draw huge crowds.

Rs 25 lakh, a government job, and central aid

The state announced an ex-gratia of Rs 25 lakh and a Group D government job for the next of kin of each person who died, plus Rs 5 lakh for each injured person with fully covered medical expenses. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an additional Rs 2 lakh for the families of the dead and Rs 50,000 for the injured. An emergency toll-free helpline — 1800 345 5678 — has been activated, ANI reported.

Crackdown: prohibitory orders, UP safety audit

Kolkata Police imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, in parts of north Kolkata for three days, from October 18 to 20.

The fallout crossed state borders: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directed police commissioners, district magistrates and superintendents of police to review security at Durga Puja pandals across the state — inspecting fire safety, electrical installations and entry and exit points, with all officials ordered to remain in the field.

Theme artiste Sushanta Shibani Pal called it a "black day for Durga Puja," saying a tragedy that killed 19 people should never have happened during Kolkata's biggest festival.

Why it matters

Durga Puja in Kolkata is among the world's largest public festivals, funnelling millions through narrow city lanes to pandal-hop. The Chorbagan disaster has turned the spotlight on how theme-based pandals — built to pull record footfall — are regulated, who answers when crowd plans fail, and whether the festival's commercial scale has outrun its safety infrastructure. With a sitting judge set to head the probe and the Home Minister personally monitoring, the political stakes now match the human ones.

What happens next

Police say more arrests may follow as CCTV analysis and witness statements continue. The Calcutta High Court's reply to the state's request for a judge-led SIT will shape the official investigation, while autopsy reports should pin down the exact sequence of the gate collapse and the surge. The prohibitory orders hold until October 20, and the pandal safety reviews in West Bengal — and now Uttar Pradesh — will decide how the rest of the festival season runs.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many people died in the Kolkata stampede?

Police said 19 people were killed and 25 others injured at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata on Saturday evening. The state government has said it will bear the full treatment cost of the injured.

Who has been arrested?

Seven people, including organisers of the Chorbagan celebrations — reportedly the puja committee's secretary and vice-president. A senior IPS officer told PTI that 14 people were detained on Saturday night and seven were subsequently arrested, adding that more arrests may follow.

Why did Amit Shah visit Kolkata?

Shah cancelled his scheduled Durga Puja engagements on Sunday and visited a private nursing home to meet the injured, an official said. He also visited the Kalighat Kali Temple with Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. The CM said Shah is personally monitoring the situation.

What is the SIT probe?

The state will ask the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court to constitute a Special Investigation Team headed by a sitting judge, including STF and CID members. It will examine CCTV footage, witness accounts and autopsy reports to fix responsibility for the lapses.

What compensation was announced?

The state announced Rs 25 lakh and a Group D government job for each bereaved family, plus Rs 5 lakh per injured person with fully covered medical costs. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an additional Rs 2 lakh for the families of the dead and Rs 50,000 for the injured.

What caused the stampede?

Police said an exit gate collapsed under heavy crowd pressure, triggering a stampede-like situation. A senior officer added that poor crowd management, inadequate security and misleading announcements may have caused panic, with crowds rushing through a narrow rain-soaked bylane in a chain reaction of falls.

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