10 p.m. deadline, police deployment clouding pujo festivities at Delhi’s C.R. Park: organisers

Durga Puja pandal committee members in south Delhi’s C.R. Park have accused the police of forcing them to shut by 10 p.m., two hours earlier than usual. They say the early deadline is disrupting celebrations and worsening crowd-control problems, even as large numbers of police and paramilitary personnel remain deployed around the venues.

The office of DCP (South) Anant Mittal denied the allegations, saying the intervention was aimed at ensuring compliance with court-mandated noise pollution rules.

The development comes on the day the toll in the stampede at a Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata on Saturday climbed to 19, with four children and 11 women among the deceased.

“Since day one [October 16], the police and paramilitary forces have been coming in large numbers, with batons and whistles, forcing committee members to close the pandals at 10 p.m. Usually, the pandals remain open until 12.30 a.m. or 1 a.m.,” said Kali Mandir Puja Committee secretary Prodip Ganguly. “We just want to enjoy our festival. However, police are scaring our devotees away,” he added.

‘Unrealistic deadline’

A member of the Mela Ground Puja Committee said the 10 p.m. deadline is unrealistic. “The police entering and forcing pandals to close is stopping devotees from enjoying the festival,” he said.

Aam Aadmi Party’s Delhi unit chief Saurabh Bhardawaj criticised the police. “Squeezing the evening window by two hours will cause crowd swell and chaos. This could lead to a West Bengal-type situation, and the government will prosecute Puja committees to hide its own shortcomings,” he wrote on X.

‘Playing loud music’

Mr. Mittal said the police had intervened in cases where the organisers continued playing loud music beyond the permitted time despite agreeing to follow the rules at earlier meetings. “Our regular crowd-control measures include barricading and the deployment of additional forces, with some personnel kept in reserve if necessary. The pandal samitis have also been asked to add more gates to facilitate the entry and exit of people,” he added.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Rohit Rajbir Singh said similar measures had been introduced at Ramlila grounds in central and north Delhi this year.

“All necessary arrangements are in place, and so far, we have not felt the need for additional measures or a review of security arrangements at Ramlila Maidan based on the inflow,” he added.