Kolkata: Religious traditions will determine who handles Durga idols during immersion in Kolkata, with West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari directing the police to identify those assigned to carry the idols into the Hooghly river.

The announcement comes as the administration tightens security for immersion ceremonies following the Chorbagan Durga Puja stampede that claimed 19 lives.

Speaking during an inspection of immersion arrangements at Babughat on Wednesday, Adhikari said only followers of Sanatan Dharma would be permitted to touch the idols.

He maintained that the directive was rooted in religious practices rather than communal considerations.

‘I have instructed the Commissioner of Police (CP) to keep the identification of those who will be involved in carrying the idols into the Hooghly. Those who follow Sanatan Dharma will touch the idols. There is no communal matter in it,’ the Chief Minister said.

Accompanied by Kolkata CP Ajay Kumar Nand and municipal commissioner Smita Pandey, Adhikari reviewed the arrangements at the ghat, emphasising the need to balance public safety with the religious significance of the rituals.

He said immersion procedures should follow established customs, scriptural principles, and long-standing religious practices.

According to the CM, the occasion should be understood not merely as a festival but also as a religious observance.

Trolleys replace cranes, NDRF joins immersion preparations

The administration has changed this year's immersion arrangements, including using trolleys instead of cranes after complaints.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has also joined the operation to strengthen preparedness and prevent potential mishaps.

Adhikari said the police, disaster management authorities and the municipal corporation could seek assistance from other agencies, including the Port Trust, if the situation required additional support.

He added that the water at the immersion sites will be cleaned after the process concludes on October 24.

The enhanced precautions come against the backdrop of the fatal stampede at the Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal on Mahasaptami evening, which killed 19 people.

The incident has prompted the administration to intensify safety measures during the remaining immersion operations.

A senior official said 18 IPS officers would supervise idol immersions in Kolkata and three neighbouring police commissionerates until October 24.

Taki immersion raises concerns over country boats

Safety arrangements at Taki, in North 24 Parganas district, have also raised concerns, particularly over spectators using country boats to watch idol immersions in the Ichamati river.

Adhikari said at least 200 country boats were expected to carry spectators during the proceedings. Although the administration tried to discourage the practice, he said local sentiments had to be considered.

The CM acknowledged that the arrangements had not eliminated all concerns, given the nature of the boats being used.

‘We have taken precautions like providing life jackets and measures to balance the weight, but we are still worried because most of them are country boats (dingi),’ he said.

The Border Security Force (BSF) has been roped in to assist with arrangements at Taki.

A cabinet minister has also been sent to the area, and the deputy inspector general of police of the Barasat range has been assigned to oversee the arrangements.

After inspecting Babughat, Adhikari reviewed immersion preparations at ghats on the Howrah side of the Hooghly River from a boat.

With immersion operations continuing until October 24, the administration is seeking to reinforce crowd management, inter-agency coordination, and safety measures at riverfront locations, amid heightened scrutiny after Kolkata's first fatal stampede during its signature Durga Puja festival.