Air India Crash-Themed Durga Puja Pandal In West Bengal’s Hooghly Draws Public Backlash

A Durga Puja pandal in West Bengal’s Hooghly district has caused outrage online after a video showed it recreating the tragic Air India plane crash of June 12, sparking debate over artistic limits and sensitivity.

What was seemingly intended as a tribute to the victims has been widely condemned as “insensitive” and “disrespectful.”

The viral video, shared on social media platform X, shows the pandal designed to resemble a crash site featuring a broken aircraft, debris, and artificial flames. Organisers reportedly claimed the theme was meant to honour the victims and the rescue workers who risked their lives during the tragedy.

However, the depiction closely mirrors the real-life disaster, where a London-bound Air India flight crashed into a hostel building in Ahmedabad, killing 260 people, including 241 passengers and crew and 19 on the ground.

Have you'll seen this Durga Puja pandal themed of Ahmedabad Plane crash. This is in Chakpur, Jangipara, Hoogly.pic.twitter.com/bShbsrvfk4

— রক্তশীষির/blood dew (@roktoshisir) October 3, 2025 " rel="nofollow">http://

Have you'll seen this Durga Puja pandal themed of Ahmedabad Plane crash.
This is in Chakpur, Jangipara, Hoogly. pic.twitter.com/bShbsrvfk4

— রক্তশীষির/blood dew (@roktoshisir) October 3, 2025

Social media backlash

The video of the pandal has garnered over 300,000 views, sparking a wave of criticism. Social media users condemned the attempt to turn a national tragedy into a festive attraction.

“How absolutely sad is that! How much trauma would it cause the families of the victims?” wrote one user. Another commented, “This is so, so bad … imagine how the loved ones of the deceased would feel seeing this.”

As the clip gained traction, users labelled the display “a glorification of tragedy” and “a sick mentality.”

So far, the organisers of the Hooghly pandal have not issued any statement or apology. Authorities have also not confirmed whether any action will be taken regarding the controversial theme. The Assam Tribune, which first reported the story, said it could not independently verify the exact location of the pandal.

However, this is not the first such instance. A Ganesh pandal in Nagpur had earlier recreated the crash but drew a relatively muted response.

West Bengal’s diverse pandal themes

Durga Puja 2025 has seen a range of innovative and meaningful themes across Kolkata, from Santosh Mitra Square’s “Operation Sindoor”-inspired setup to Hatibagan Nabin Pally’s tribute to women freedom fighters. Against this backdrop, the Hooghly pandal’s recreation of a fatal air crash has stood out for the wrong reasons, prompting calls for greater mindfulness in blending art, faith, and tragedy.