CHOREBAGAN STAMPEDE VICTIMS’ FAMILIES DEMAND ANSWERS, SAY FINANCIAL COMPENSATION CANNOT REPLACE LOST LIVES

October 20, 2026

KOLKATA, OCTOBER 20: Families of those killed in the Chorebagan Durga Puja stampede have called for accountability over the tragedy, insisting that no amount of financial compensation can make up for the loss of their loved ones.

The fatal incident at the north Kolkata puja pandal has left bereaved families struggling to come to terms with their losses while seeking answers about how the crowd crush occurred and whether adequate precautions were taken to prevent it.

For the relatives of the victims, the immediate concern extends beyond the financial assistance announced following the tragedy. They want clarity on the circumstances that led to the stampede and accountability from those found responsible for failures in crowd management or public safety arrangements.

The incident has raised serious questions about the arrangements made to handle the large crowds that gather at popular Durga Puja pandals. With thousands of visitors often converging on narrow streets and confined entry and exit points, effective crowd control, emergency access and coordination among organisers and authorities are essential to preventing such disasters.

The victims’ families have emphasised that compensation cannot erase the emotional and personal consequences of losing a family member. Financial assistance may help meet immediate expenses, but it cannot restore a life or relieve the grief experienced by those left behind.

The tragedy has also intensified public scrutiny of safety measures at major puja venues across Kolkata. Questions concerning crowd regulation, emergency response and the responsibilities of organisers and public authorities have become central to the demand for a thorough examination of the incident.

Any inquiry into the stampede must establish the sequence of events, identify shortcomings in safety arrangements and determine whether negligence or violations of applicable rules contributed to the deaths. Accountability, the families’ demands underline, requires more than financial relief; it requires credible answers and appropriate action based on the findings.

As the city continues its Durga Puja celebrations, the Chorebagan tragedy serves as a painful reminder that public festivities must be supported by rigorous safety planning. For the families who have lost loved ones, the priority remains finding out what happened and ensuring that similar suffering is prevented in the future.