Kolkata Police bar entry into park hosting tallest Durga idol

Kolkata, Oct 19: The Kolkata Police this evening stopped entry of people inside Deshapriya Park to witness the tallest Druga idol for an "indefinite" period citing security and safety reasons.

Blaming that the Puja organisers have failed to put up a proper infrastructure to host an event, which attracted "peculiar media hype that created unwanted attention of the people," city Police Commissioner Surajit Kar Purokayasta told PTI that the step was taken after a massive crowd choked the Park and its surrounding roads.

"There was a massive crowd at Deshapriya Park this evening that put up a question mark on the safety and security of the people coming to see the idol," Purokayasta said.

"The organisers have failed to put up a proper infrastructure there. They have not planned it properly and because of the hype created with the height of the idol, huge number of visitors are coming to the venue resulting to a strange situation," he said.

"Our primary concern is to ensure that people out to witness Durga Puja, are safe. So we have decided to stop entry of people there," he said.

The Kolkata Police would conduct a review of the venue tomorrow morning after which "we will take a call," the CP said.

The top cop along with other senior officers of the Kolkata Police visited the venue this evening after complaints of huge rush to Deshapriya Park led to massive traffic snarls in the area. Purokayasta took a look in and around the Park before leaving at around 8.10 PM.

According to Kolkata Police officers, around five to six persons were injured in a rush at Deshapriya Park earlier this afternoon.

"At one point of time it seemed like the situation was heading towards a stampede. Then only we decided to review the situation," an officer said.

Artist Mintu Pal along with 40 other artists had been working on the idol and the pandal at Deshapriya Park for over two months.

The idol, which has been a major draw this Durga Puja, was equal to an eight-storey building, according to the puja committee organisers.

PTI