DOMINANT ANGLE
Santiago sees the Calcutta stampede as a crowd control issue: the Chilean press cites the sudden rain, narrow exits and the announced investigation into attendance control.
Dominant angle identified — does not reflect unanimity of this country’s media
KEY POINTS
- 01
BioBioChile: at least 35 injured around 7:40 pm local time in front of a Durga Puja pavilion in Calcutta, with rain causing a crowd surge according to police
- 02
La Tercera: at least 18 dead, including 13 women and a minor, and eight critically injured out of 25 people treated
- 03
Suvendu Adhikari promises to review surveillance footage and determine if the crowd was adequately controlled; Modi announces compensation
ANALYSIS
Santiago, October 18, 2026. Chilean media are covering the Calcutta tragedy in a factual manner, focusing on the sequence of events and the response of the authorities. BioBioChile published a first report on Saturday, October 17: at least 35 people were injured in a stampede that occurred during the Durga Puja celebrations, "one of the main Hindu festivals in India," according to the police. The incident reportedly took place around 7:40 pm local time (2:10 pm GMT), as a crowd was pushing in front of one of the temporary pavilions set up for the festival, dedicated to the goddess Durga.
The media outlet specifies that, according to the Calcutta police, the rain caused a sudden movement among the people waiting to enter, with several visitors falling to the ground. About 35 people were taken to the Calcutta Medical College and Hospital, rescue teams evacuated the area, and access was suspended. BioBioChile also reports that Indian media are mentioning at least 17 possible deaths, a toll that the authorities had not yet officially confirmed.
La Tercera, in its Sunday, October 18 edition, reports at least 18 deaths, including 13 women and one minor, and eight injured in critical condition. The newspaper cites the local police, who located the stampede at the exit of the Sarada Park Puja Pandal, under the Girish Park police station, and relays the NDTV channel on the mobilization of the police, firefighters, and ambulances. A seven-year-old girl is among the victims, and 25 people were being treated. The head of the state government, Suvendu Adhikari, indicates that the security camera images are being examined. He promises: "We will investigate to see if the crowd was controlled adequately. We will establish responsibilities." La Tercera adds that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced financial compensation for the families of the deceased. Witnesses report that many people lost consciousness, and the entrance and exit were very narrow.
Chilean coverage does not dwell on the controversies surrounding the origin of the crowd movement or the arrests of organizers, and remains on a sober register: figures, schedules, official statements. The subject is approached as a crowd management accident in a mass religious gathering, rather than as an Indian political issue.
