Eighteen people were killed and at least 25 injured in a stampede at a prominent Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata on Saturday night.First responders and officials said the stampede appeared to have been triggered by an announcement at the Chorbagan puja pandal that led to chaos. Details, however, were still emerging until late Saturday night as officials tried to make sense of a tragedy that unfolded in the middle of West Bengal’s biggest festive season.Videos taken before the stampede, which occurred between 7 pm and 8 pm, appeared to show a large crowd waiting to enter the pandal. The area comprises narrow lanes where only three to four people can walk side by side at any given point.According to locals who spoke to The Indian Express, several factors appeared to have contributed to the tragedy: narrow lanes, ostensibly too few volunteers to manage the festival-goers, rainfall that prompted people to rush into the pandal, and an alleged announcement warning that the pandal might collapse if the crowd was not brought under control.A woman who lives in the locality said the volunteers were largely local youths who know little about crowd management. She and several others in the area said it did not appear that an ambulance was on standby.The dead and injured were rushed to Calcutta Medical College, less than two kilometres away. Until midnight, dozens of distraught relatives were awaiting news of their loved ones.Speaking to The Indian Express, Dipa Dey, a relative of one of the victims, Sriparna Poddar (26), said, “Sriparna lived in Baidyabati, Hooghly, and worked as a nurse with a private hospital. Today was her day off, and she went pandal hopping with her friends. Chorbagan is a famous puja.”Story continues below this ad“What were the organisers doing?” Dipa asked. “We all know how popular the puja is; where was the security?”Sultan Ahmed, whose family friend Kalpana Yadav (42), also from Hooghly, died in the incident, said, “She was with family to see Kolkata’s famous pujas. Her children survived. What can I say? What arrangements did the authorities and the puja committee make?”Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, who visited the hospital, said police had detained the puja organisers and private security guards hired to manage the crowds, which swell into the thousands at pandals across the city, especially in the evenings.“As per the briefing I have received so far, there was an announcement by the organisers on loudspeakers, after which the incident took place. (Home Minister) Amit Shah ji has cancelled his programmes (in the state) tomorrow. He will visit the injured and the victims,” Adhikari said, adding that a few of those injured were also critical.Story continues below this ad“I appeal to all puja committees to work with the police administration, and if there are any loopholes at the entry and exit points, correct them. People’s lives are more important than the puja theme,” he said.The state has formed a fact-finding panel to probe the incident, while forensic and fire brigade teams will also try to ascertain what went wrong. CCTV footage is expected to aid investigators, officials said.The Prime Minister has announced an ex gratia payment of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of those who lost their lives. The injured will receive Rs 50,000 each.Former chief minister and All India Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee said she was “deeply shocked and saddened to learn about the stampede”.Story continues below this ad“I pray to Maa Durga for the speedy recovery of all those injured and for strength and courage for their families during this difficult time,” she said.Nilanjan Das, her party’s spokesperson, said the stampede “raises grave questions of criminal negligence and accountability on the part of the Kolkata Police and the Adhikari-led administration”.