17 killed in Kolkata Durga Puja pandal stampede; PM Modi announces ex-gratia
text_fields
Kolkata: Seventeen people were killed and 25 others seriously injured in a stampede at the Chorbagan Sarbojonin community Durga Puja pandal on Muktarambabu Street in north Kolkata on Saturday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund for the families of each of the deceased.
The Prime Minister also announced Rs 50,000 for each of those injured in the incident. In a post on X, he described the stampede as saddening and expressed condolences to the bereaved families, while wishing the injured a speedy recovery. He said the West Bengal government was extending all possible assistance to those affected.
President Droupadi Murmu expressed grief over the loss of lives and conveyed her condolences to the families of the deceased. She prayed for the early recovery of the injured. Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan also expressed anguish over the tragedy and offered condolences to the affected families.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said he had postponed all his Durga Puja-related engagements in West Bengal on Sunday to visit the injured in hospital. He said he was in touch with Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari over the incident and that the administration was ensuring the best possible medical treatment for those hurt.
Shah expressed condolences to the families of the victims and prayed for the swift recovery of the injured. West Bengal Governor R. N. Ravi also expressed sorrow over the deaths and extended condolences to the bereaved families.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh were among the leaders who condoled the deaths. Rajnath Singh said relief and rescue efforts were under way to provide timely assistance to those affected.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge appealed to party leaders and workers to extend all possible support to the affected families during this difficult time.
(Inputs from IANS)