At least 17 people, including a seven-year-old girl, were killed and about 25 others injured after a stampede broke out during a Durga Puja celebration in Kolkata, eastern India, officials said on Saturday.

The incident occurred outside a festival pavilion after rainfall triggered confusion and movement among a large crowd gathered for the Hindu religious celebration.

West Bengal Chief Minister, Suvendhu Adhikari confirmed the deaths, saying the victims were caught in the stampede outside the pavilion.

He said six of the victims had been identified as authorities continued efforts to establish the identities of those killed.

A senior police officer at the scene said the situation became chaotic after an announcement was made while rain began falling at night.

According to the officer, people waiting outside the pavilion began pushing and rushing towards the entrance, causing several people to fall and triggering the stampede.

The injured victims were taken for medical treatment, while authorities continued to assess the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Stampedes remain a recurring danger at large gatherings in India, particularly during religious festivals and other mass events where large crowds converge in limited spaces.

Several deadly crowd incidents have occurred across the country in recent years.

In 2024, 121 people were killed during a Hindu religious gathering in Uttar Pradesh after a stampede broke out.

A separate stampede at the Kumbh Mela religious festival the following year left 30 people dead and several others injured.

Also in 2025, 11 people were killed in Bengaluru when crowds gathered to celebrate a local cricket team’s first Indian Premier League title, while 36 people died in a stampede at a political rally in Tamil Nadu involving a popular actor-turned-politician.