Kolkata has intensified security and crowd-management measures for Durga idol immersions after a stampede at a north Kolkata pandal killed 19 people and injured 25, with the administration deploying senior police officers, the National Disaster Response Force and additional agencies at key river ghats.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari reviewed arrangements at Babughat and Howrah-side immersion points on Wednesday, October 21. He said the administration had arranged trolleys instead of cranes following complaints and had included the National Disaster Response Force in this year’s preparations.
Mr. Adhikari said the Kolkata Police Commissioner had been instructed to identify the people who would carry idols into the Hooghly. He also said that only followers of “Sanatan Dharma” would be allowed to touch the idols during immersion, describing the measure as part of preserving religious traditions.
The arrangements cover Kolkata and three neighbouring police commissionerates until October 24. A total of 18 Indian Police Service officers will supervise the process, with 12 assigned to Kolkata and six responsible for Howrah, Barrackpore and Chandannagar, according to a senior official cited in the report.
The Chief Minister said the police, disaster management authorities and the Kolkata Municipal Corporation could seek assistance from other agencies, including the Kolkata Port Trust, if required. He also said the water would be cleaned after the immersion process concludes on October 24.
The administration has separately raised concerns about the safety of spectators travelling by country boats to watch immersion at Taki in North 24 Parganas district. About 200 boats were expected to carry spectators on the Ichamati river. The administration had attempted to discourage the practice but decided to retain arrangements after taking local sentiment into account, Mr. Adhikari said.
Life jackets and measures to balance the weight of the boats have been planned, although the Chief Minister said there were continuing safety concerns because most of the vessels were small country boats, or dingis. The Border Security Force has been roped in to assist at Taki, while a Cabinet Minister and the Deputy Inspector General of Police of the Barasat Range have been assigned responsibilities in the area.
The new security measures follow the stampede at the Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata on Mahasaptami evening. The incident led to 19 deaths and 25 injuries, prompting the administration to review crowd-control arrangements during the immersion period.
Mr. Adhikari reviewed the Hooghly-side arrangements with Kolkata Police Commissioner Ajay Kumar Nand and Kolkata Municipal Commissioner Smita Pandey. The senior police officers assigned to supervise immersions will be divided across October 21, 22, 23 and 24, with separate officers overseeing operations in Kolkata, Howrah, Barrackpore and Chandannagar.
The immersion operation is scheduled to continue through October 24, when the administration has said it will complete the post-immersion cleaning of the water.
