At least 19 dead in stampede at Kolkata Hindu festival

At least 19 dead in stampede at Kolkata Hindu festival

The full report

A stampede occurred at a Hindu festival in Kolkata, eastern India, resulting in at least 19 deaths and 25 injuries, according to ABC News — Top Stories.

The incident occurred during the Hindu festival of Durga Puja, with West Bengal's Chief Minister Suvendhu Adhikari confirming the fatalities, including a seven-year-old girl.

West Bengal State Minister Umesh Rai stated that the stampede was caused by a sudden influx of people into a pavilion, while a senior police official attributed the incident to an announcement that caused a commotion after it started raining.

The injured victims have been taken to different hospitals for treatment, with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's office announcing a compensation payment of 200,000 rupees ($2,106.15) for the next of kin of those who died and 50,000 rupees each for the injured.

Deadly crowd incidents are frequent occurrences at Indian mass events due to management and safety lapses, with previous incidents including a stampede at India's Kumbh Mela religious fair that killed 30 people and injured several others, and 11 fans being crushed to death in Bengaluru during celebrations for the local cricket team's first Indian Premier League title.