At least 17 people have been killed and 25 others injured in a stampede at a Hindu religious festival in north Kolkata, in India's West Bengal state, officials said.

A seven-year-old girl was among the fatalities. West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari told reporters that six bodies had so far been identified.

The incident occurred on Saturday evening at a Durga Puja pandal, a temporary pavilion housing idols of the goddess Durga, which attracts thousands of devotees each year.

Police said the stampede was triggered by heavy crowds gathering at the pandal amid rainfall. A senior police official said an announcement caused "commotion" after rain began to fall, with the "crowd waiting outside the pandal [pavilion] was pushing, pulling and rushing forward and fell on the ground, leading to the stampede."

The injured were taken to hospital from the scene.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the incident as "saddening." "Condolences to the bereaved families. Wishing the injured a speedy recovery. The West Bengal Government is providing all possible help to the affected families," he wrote on X.

Modi's office announced a compensation payment of 200,000 rupees ($2,106) for the next of kin of those who died, and 50,000 rupees ($527) for each of the injured.

Interior Minister Amit Shah said the "administration is ensuring that all possible medical facilities are being provided to the injured."

Deadly crowd incidents occur frequently at large-scale events in India, particularly religious festivals, often attributed to poor crowd management and safety lapses.

Last year, a stampede at the Kumbh Mela religious fair killed 30 people and injured several others. In Bengaluru, 11 fans were crushed to death during celebrations for a local cricket team's first Indian Premier League title. In southern Tamil Nadu state, 36 people were killed in a stampede at a campaign rally for a popular actor-turned-politician.

In 2024, 121 people were killed in northern Uttar Pradesh state during a Hindu religious gathering.