Kolkata Durga immersion security will be overseen by 18 IPS officers across four West Bengal cities from October 21 to 24, with 12 officers assigned to Kolkata alone as the administration strengthens crowd-management arrangements after 19 people died in a stampede at a city puja pandal.
The deployment was detailed in a notice issued by the West Bengal Police on Tuesday. It covers immersion processions on Dashami, October 21, through Saturday, October 24, and specifies the officers assigned to each day and jurisdiction.
In Kolkata Police areas, Gaurav Sharma, Soma Das Mitra, Rashid Munir Khan, Akash Magharia, Sureshkumar Chadive and Dhritiman Sarkar will supervise immersions on October 21 and 23. Praveenkumar Tripathi, Imran Wahab, Sheesh Ram Jhajharia, Soumya Roy, Parijat Biswas and Siddharth Dhapola will be responsible for supervision on October 22 and 24.
The police has assigned two IPS officers each to Howrah, Barrackpore and Chandannagar. Indra Chakraborty will supervise immersion operations in Howrah on October 21 and 23, while Avaru Ravindranath will take charge on October 22 and 24. Palashchandra Dhali and Dyutiman Bhattacharya have been assigned to Barrackpore, while Abhijit Bandyopadhyay and Sandeep Mandal will supervise operations in Chandannagar.
The enhanced deployment follows the death of 19 visitors at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata on October 17, during Saptami. According to eyewitness claims cited in the report, sudden rain triggered panic and a rush among the crowd. Allegations also emerged that a false announcement by puja organisers contributed to the panic.
The Kolkata Police has formed a special investigation team to examine the Chorbagan incident, and six people have been arrested in connection with the case, according to the report. Since the incident, authorities have increased surveillance around popular puja pandals in Kolkata and adjoining areas and strengthened crowd-control arrangements.
The four-city deployment places senior police officers directly in charge of monitoring immersion operations during a period when large crowds, procession routes, traffic movement and access to riverfront areas must be coordinated. The police notice does not specify the size of the additional force or individual route plans, but confirms that the administration has assigned day-wise senior supervision across the main immersion locations.
The IPS officers will oversee the immersion process during the four-day period beginning October 21. Further operational decisions will be implemented through the respective Kolkata, Howrah, Barrackpore and Chandannagar police jurisdictions.
