Kolkata, October 21, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Eighteen Indian Police Service (IPS) officers have been assigned to supervise the immersion of Durga idols in four cities of West Bengal, including Kolkata, a senior police officer said on Wednesday.
Of the 18 officers, 12 have been deployed in Kolkata alone, while the remaining six will oversee arrangements in Howrah, Barrackpore and Chandannagar, with two officers assigned to each city.
A notification issued by the state police late Tuesday night stated that IPS officers would supervise the immersion process, scheduled to take place at various locations from Dashami on Wednesday through October 24. The notification also specified the officers’ names and their assigned dates of duty.
In the Kolkata Police area, IPS officers Gaurav Sharma, Soma Das Mitra, Rashid Munir Khan, Akash Magharia, Suresh Kumar Chadive and Dhritimaan Sarkar will supervise the immersion process on October 21 and 23.
IPS officers Praveen Kumar Tripathi, Imran Wahab, Sheesh Ram Jhajharia, Soumya Roy, Parijat Biswas and Siddharth Dhapola will oversee arrangements in the Kolkata Police area on October 22 and 24.
In Howrah Police District, Indra Chakraborty will supervise the immersion on October 21 and 23, while Avaru Rabindranath will be responsible on October 22 and 24.
Palash Chandra Dhali and Duteeman Bhattacharya have been assigned responsibility for Barrackpore Police District, while Abhijit Banerjee and Sandeep Mandal will supervise arrangements in Chandannagar.
The deployment comes amid heightened security following a deadly stampede at the Chorebagan Sarbojonin Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata on October 17, during Saptami, in which 19 visitors were killed.
Eyewitnesses claimed that sudden rain triggered the stampede. Allegations have also emerged that announcements made by the puja organisers contributed to panic among visitors.
Kolkata Police have formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the incident, and seven people have been arrested in connection with the case.
Since the stampede, the administration has tightened monitoring at major Durga Puja pandals in Kolkata and adjoining areas. Additional crowd-control measures and surveillance arrangements have been put in place to prevent further incidents.
With the immersion process underway, the government has deployed senior police officers to supervise arrangements and ensure that the proceedings remain orderly and safe.
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