Kolkata Durga Puja stampede: 7 arrested, including Chorbagan Puja Committee officials
Synopsis
A Durga Puja celebration in North Kolkata turned fatal, leaving 19 dead in a pandal stampede — and within 24 hours, police had arrested seven people, including the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Puja Committee's own secretary and vice-president. The tragedy has prompted the Chief Minister to question whether 'theme pujas' that attract massive crowds can ever be truly safe.
Key Takeaways
Kolkata Police arrested 7 people on 18 October over the Durga Puja pandal stampede in North Kolkata that killed 19 people .
Arrested include Raj Kumar Sewda , secretary, and Santanu Dubey , vice-president of the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Puja Committee .
Three crowd-control officials and two private security personnel were also arrested; all face culpable homicide charges under BNS 2023 .
A suo motu case has been registered; autopsies of all 19 victims have begun at the Kolkata Police Morgue .
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari formed a fact-finding committee and said the state will rethink 'theme pujas' given the enormous crowds they attract.
Home Minister Amit Shah cancelled Puja engagements in the city and was scheduled to visit the injured.
Kolkata Police on Sunday, 18 October announced the arrest of seven people in connection with the Durga Puja pandal stampede at North Kolkata's Chorbagan that killed 19 people. The arrests follow the detention of 14 persons since Saturday night for questioning.
Who Has Been Arrested
Among those arrested are Raj Kumar Sewda (48), secretary of the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Puja Committee, and Santanu Dubey (55), the committee's vice-president, according to a city police statement issued Sunday morning. Three individuals involved in crowd management at the pandal — Biplab Mukherjee (48), Pintu Dey (51), and Koushik Saha (53) — were also arrested. Saha was additionally in charge of checking VIP passes at the entry gates. Two persons responsible for private security arrangements at the venue — Suman Chakraborty (30) and Rajesh Pal (29) — have also been taken into custody.
Charges and Investigation
The accused have been charged with culpable homicide under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023. Police have registered a suo motu case and launched a detailed investigation. Autopsies of the 19 victims began at the Kolkata Police Morgue on Sunday, with forensic science experts expected to arrive at the scene later in the day to collect samples.
Government Response
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said a fact-finding committee has been constituted to probe the incident. He confirmed that CCTV footage from the site has been collected and is under examination. Adhikari also stated he would visit the hospital to meet the injured, adding that Home Minister Amit Shah, who cancelled all his Puja-related engagements in the city for the day, would also visit. This comes as Kolkata's largest community pujas are known to draw tens of thousands of visitors in the late evening hours.
Rethinking 'Theme Pujas'
Adhikari suggested that the state administration would need to reconsider the concept of 'theme pujas' — elaborate, elaborately designed pandals that typically generate massive footfall. 'People's lives come first, not themes,' he said, adding that lessons from this tragedy would inform future crowd-management planning. Notably, Kolkata's Durga Puja celebrations were inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2021, drawing an even larger surge in visitor numbers in subsequent years.
What Happens Next
The forensic team's findings and analysis of CCTV footage are expected to shape the scope of further arrests and the framing of charges. The fact-finding committee's report will likely influence state government guidelines on crowd management at large public gatherings. The investigation is ongoing, and police have not ruled out additional detentions.
Point of View
But charges under BNS culpable homicide provisions will test whether negligence by event organisers can sustain a criminal conviction in Indian courts. The deeper question is structural: Kolkata's competitive 'theme puja' culture has been celebrated globally since UNESCO recognition in 2021, yet crowd-management frameworks have not kept pace with surging footfall. Chief Minister Adhikari's remarks about rethinking theme pujas are politically significant, but unless the state codifies binding crowd-capacity rules and mandates independent safety audits, such statements risk remaining reactive rather than preventive.
NationPress
18 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people were arrested in the Kolkata Durga Puja stampede case?
Seven people were arrested on Sunday, 18 October, after 14 individuals were detained since Saturday night. The arrested include the secretary and vice-president of the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Puja Committee, three crowd-control officials, and two private security personnel.
What charges have been filed against the accused?
The seven arrested have been charged with culpable homicide under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023. Police registered a suo motu case and the investigation is ongoing, with forensic teams collecting evidence from the site.
How many people died in the Kolkata Durga Puja pandal stampede?
The stampede at the Chorbagan community Durga Puja pandal in North Kolkata claimed 19 lives. Autopsies of all 19 victims began on Sunday at the Kolkata Police Morgue.
What did Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari say about the stampede?
Adhikari announced the formation of a fact-finding committee, confirmed that CCTV footage has been collected, and said the administration would rethink the 'theme puja' concept given the enormous crowds such events attract. He visited the injured at hospital and said Home Minister Amit Shah would also visit.
What is the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Puja Committee?
The Chorbagan Sarbojanin Puja Committee is a community organisation in North Kolkata that organises the annual Durga Puja celebrations at the Chorbagan pandal. Its secretary and vice-president are among those arrested following the stampede that killed 19 people.
