Kolkata deploys 18 IPS officers for Durga Puja immersions after stampede

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday reviewed arrangements for Durga Puja idol immersions in Kolkata as the government tightened security after a stampede at a city pandal killed 19 people, news agency Press Trust of India reported.

Adhikari visited Babughat with Kolkata Police Commissioner Ajay Kumar Nand and Kolkata Municipal Commissioner Smita Pandey. They reviewed preparations and discussed measures to ensure that idol immersions are conducted smoothly on Bijaya Dashami.

“Additional precautions have been taken, and security arrangements have been strengthened. The NDRF is also involved in security arrangements. Cleaning work will be carried out after the immersions are over,” the chief minister said.

The administration stepped up vigilance after the stampede at the Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal on Mahasaptami evening, which left 19 people dead.

A total of 18 IPS officers will supervise idol immersions in Kolkata and three neighbouring police commissionerates, an official told PTI. Twelve officers have been assigned to Kolkata, while six will oversee the



process in Howrah, Barrackpore and Chandannagar.

The officers will remain deployed from Wednesday until October 24, with separate duty schedules prepared for each of them, the official said.

In Kolkata, Gaurav Sharma, Soma Das Mitra, Rashid Munir Khan, Akash Magharia, Suresh Kumar Chadive and Dhritiman Sarkar will supervise immersions on October 21 and 23.

Praveen Kumar Tripathi, Imran Wahab, Shish Ram Jhajharia, Soumya Roy, Parijat Biswas and Siddhartha Dhapola will be on duty in the city on October 22 and 24.

In Howrah, Indra Chakraborty will oversee immersions on October 21 and 23, while Avaru Ravindranath will supervise the process on October 22 and 24.

Palash Chandra Dhali and Dyutiman Bhattacharya have been assigned to Barrackpore, while Abhijit Banerjee and Sandeep Mandal will oversee immersions in Chandannagar, the official added.

The strengthened arrangements, including the deployment of 18 IPS officers and the involvement of the NDRF, will remain in place during the immersion period following the stampede that claimed 19 lives.