Kolkata Durga Puja Tragedy: Several Major Pandals Shut, Entry Restricted After Stampede

Among the venues affected are Tala Pratyay, Chetla Agrani, Alipore Sarbojanin and Ballygunge Sarbojanin, where visitor entry was reported to have been suspended amid heightened safety concerns.

Santosh Mitra Square has also faced restrictions on the number of people allowed inside, while a scheduled show at Allen Park was reportedly cancelled.

In North Kolkata, College Square and Md Ali Park were reported to have shut their gates on Saturday night amid evacuation measures. The current status of these venues requires confirmation from the authorities and organisers.

The restrictions extend beyond Kolkata's central areas. Police in Bidhannagar have also instructed major Durga Puja organisers to temporarily stop admitting visitors, although a complete list of affected pandals has not been made available.

Chorbagan Sarbojanin, where the tragedy occurred on Saturday evening, remains the focus of the investigation. Authorities are examining the circumstances surrounding the stampede and reported structural collapse, including crowd-management arrangements and the movement of visitors amid heavy rain.

The precautionary measures come as the city grapples with the aftermath of one of the most devastating incidents of this year's Durga Puja celebrations. Officials are expected to review safety arrangements before decisions are taken on the resumption of public entry at affected venues.

Visitors have been advised to check the latest announcements from the police and individual puja committees before setting out for pandal-hopping.