balurghat: Security measures have been tightened for the decades-old Bolla Kali Puja in South Dinajpur district, scheduled to be held from November 11 to 14. Superintendent of Police (SP) of South Dinajpur Rahul De visited Bolla Kali Temple and its adjacent areas on Thursday to inspect the security arrangements.
De was accompanied by Additional Superintendent of Police Md Nasim, Deputy Superintendent of Police (Balurghat Headquarter) Somnath Jha and Inspector-in-Charge of Balurghat police station, Santi Nath Panja.
Later, speaking to the reporters, De said: "We have conducted a spot visit to check the security arrangements." No fair had been conducted over the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. "We are expecting a huge number of people to be assembled during the four days of Puja that will start on Friday. In the last two years, no fair was conducted as per instruction of the local administration as a result of the pandemic situation. This year, both Puja and fair will be organised," he said. He said proper policing arrangements including two-tier barricading and deployment as per norms will be made in due course. "The committee will deploy an adequate number of volunteers to assist the police as many as required. Proper medical camp and sanitisation of the temple complex will be done by the Health administration as per norms," he said. Notably, District Magistrate Bijin Krishna and SP Rahul De recently conducted a meeting with the Puja organiser to chalk out a plan for the smooth conduct of the puja.
Bijin Krishna said: "We had conducted a meeting with the organisers already. Our administrative and police officials took part in it. It is our target to ensure that the Puja is conducted peacefully along with the fair. We will cooperate with the organisers wholeheartedly so that the devotees and the people can enjoy the Puja and fair properly."
Bolla is around 15 km from here. Currently, the Puja is carried out by the Raksha Kali Debattor Estate and the trustee board.
The entire cost of the Puja is borne by the estate. Lakhs of people are expected to throng the temple starting on Friday midnight, when the Puja will begin. This is one of the oldest Kali Pujas in North Bengal.