Several prominent Durga Puja pandals across Kolkata were directed to temporarily suspend entry of visitors late on Saturday after a stampede-like situation at another puja venue claimed 19 lives and left 25 people injured, an official said.
Among the major pujas asked to stop admitting visitors were Tala Pratyay, Alipore Sarbojanin, Chetla Agrani and Ballygunge Sarbojonin. The programme at Allen Park was also cancelled, the official said.
The Santosh Mitra Square Puja committee has also restricted the number of visitors entering its pandal. Committee president Sajal Ghosh said the organisers had reduced visitor entry instead of allowing everyone inside.
“We cannot ask every visitor to enter. And have scaled down the entry of visitors,” Ghosh said.
A senior Kolkata Police officer said the restrictions had been imposed at locations where authorities received reports of heavy crowds.
“Wherever we are getting the information regarding major rush, we have asked the puja organisers to stop allowing people there. This is a temporary decision, and we may take a call tomorrow,” the officer said.
Salt Lake Pujas Also Asked To Stop Entry
In Bidhannagar, the satellite township near Kolkata, police also instructed organisers of major Durga Puja pandals, including those in Salt Lake, to stop allowing visitors inside.
“We have taken a call and asked puja organisers to stop allowing people inside the pandals,” a police officer said.
The state administration and Kolkata Police officials are scheduled to hold a review meeting on Sunday to assess the situation and consider the next course of action, a senior bureaucrat said. Nearly 3,500 Durga Puja celebrations are being organised across Kolkata.
