At least 17 people have been killed and dozens injured in a crowd crush at a religious festival in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata, according to local media.
Durga Puja, an annual Hindu festival held over several days in West Bengal, draws large crowds to temporary structures known as pandals, where idols of the goddess Durga are displayed.
Local television reports say the incident occurred at an exit gate in Kolkata’s Girish Park area after heavy rain caused overcrowding, as large numbers of devotees attempted to leave the venue.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s office has announced compensation of 200,000 rupees for the next of kin of each person killed and 50,000 rupees for each injured person, in a statement posted on X.
(Source: Reuters)
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