The Santosh Mitra Square Durga Puja committee in Kolkata has announced a temporary suspension of visitor entry to its pandal. This decision follows a major stampede at the site that resulted in 19 fatalities. Sajal Ghosh, the president of the puja committee, confirmed the closure, though he did not provide a specific timeline for when the site might reopen to the public.

The incident has raised immediate concerns regarding crowd management and safety protocols during the high-traffic Durga Puja festival, which draws millions of visitors to various pandals across the city. While the committee has halted operations at this specific location, authorities are currently assessing the circumstances that led to the overcrowding and the subsequent loss of life. As of now, there is no official word on whether other major pandals in the city will face similar restrictions or if additional security measures will be mandated by local government officials to prevent further incidents during the remainder of the festival.