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A Durga pooja pandal organised on October 3, in Hooghly district of West Bengal, has come under fire after the theme was based on the tragic Ahmedabad Air India plane crash that killed 260 people and one survivor.

On June 12, the Air India AI 171 flight scheduled from Ahmedabad to London crashed into a hostel block of BJ Medical College, where students were having lunch. The crash occurred 32 seconds after takeoff, killing all 12 crew members and 229 of the 230 passengers. One passenger miraculously survived with minor injuries. Nineteen students perished and 67 others were seriously injured.

The Durga pooja pandal recreated the horrific scene by depicting a portion of a dummy aircraft crashing into a model of a hostel building, complete with fireworks, smoke, debris, a painful resemblance to the aftermath of the tragedy.

A video of the pandal has gone massively viral on social media platforms, drawing strong criticism from all quarters of society. The event received massive backlash for its insensitivity towards the victims and the families who lost their loved ones.

Many users argued that the theme sensationalised or glorified the national tragedy. Calling it a “sick mentality”, online users expressed anger and pain as it is deeply offensive to the victims’ families.

One user commented, “Shocking! Celebrate the divine and honour the departed with compassion, as their journey ended abruptly, leaving families grieving. This should be a time for reflection, not mockery, aligning our festivities with empathy and understanding.”

Another commented, “Absolutely pathetic. Imagine the people who actually lost loved ones watching this.”

However, the pandal organisers defended the setup, claiming it paid tribute to the victims and rescue personnel.