The festive mood of Durga Puja has given way to grief in Kolkata after a stampede at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal claimed 19 lives on Saturday night.
The tragedy, which also claimed the life of a seven-year-old child, has prompted widespread mourning across the Bengali entertainment industry, with several artistes expressing condolences and raising questions about crowd management and public safety.
Actor Prosenjit Chatterjee said he could hardly believe that a celebration could turn into such a tragedy so suddenly. He expressed his condolences to the bereaved families and wished the injured a speedy recovery.
Actress Sudipta Chakraborty questioned why music continued at Puja pandals after the incident. Pointing to the death of the child and the suffering of injured visitors, she urged organisers to stop the music temporarily as a mark of respect for the victims.
Swastika Mukherjee also expressed grief and shared helpline information for people seeking details about the incident. She wished the injured a quick recovery and said there were no words to console families who had lost loved ones.
Actress Bidipta Chakraborty called for strict punishment for the officials responsible for the tragedy.
Fashion designer Aropa Mukherjee, Swastika’s sister, voiced concern over the arrangements for Puja crowds. Tagging BJP leader Agnimitra Paul, she questioned whether authorities had given enough attention to public safety and asked how parents could feel comfortable allowing children to visit pandals alone.
Director Kamaleshwar Mukherjee also criticised the administration, drawing a comparison between the reported attempt to demolish a Left-affiliated bookstall and the fatal crowd crush at Chorbagan. He questioned the priorities of the authorities amid the loss of life.
Director Sourav Palodhi similarly criticised the state government and questioned the silence of some members of the artistic community. He linked the reported bookstall demolition controversy with the deaths at Chorbagan and called out what he saw as a lack of public response from fellow artistes.
Actress Mimi Chakraborty shared a message on Instagram expressing solidarity with those affected. She offered condolences to the victims’ families and reflected on the uncertainty of life.
The tragedy has intensified concerns about crowd control, visitor safety and administrative accountability during major public celebrations. Artistes and members of the public are calling for measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
