Agartala, Sep 29: With the Bengalis’ grand festival Durga Puja drawing near, the police of West Tripura district has ramped up the security measures to ensure peaceful puja this year and also issued a stern warning against forceful puja subscription practices.
Addressing a press conference here at Agartala on Sunday, the Superintendent of Police Dr Kiran Kumar said, “This year we are expecting around 900 pujas in the district, up from 889 in previous year. Accordingly, we have initiated the process ramping up the security measures in the district. So far we have received 248 applications.”
“The security arrangement includes 253 fixed pickets, instalment of at least 30 CCTV cameras, 60 police assistance booths, 30 watchtowers, and 25 drop gates. In line with last year’s deployment, approximately 1,300 personnel from the Tripura State Rifles will be on duty, alongside additional police forces,” he told reporters.
On the issue of forceful puja subscription practices and extortion, the SP said that police is dealing with the cases very strictly. He said that already two individuals from the Udichi Club in Agartala have been summoned and denied permission to organize their puja following complaints of forceful puja subscription practise by the club authorities.
On the other hand, the District Magistrate of the West Tripura district Dr Vishal Kumar on Sunday issued a stern warning against the forceful puja subscription practices and said, “We shall not tolerate such incidents of extortion and asking for puja subscription through pressure tactics.”
“We are dealing with the cases very strictly. If we further receive such complaints, the clubs or any other puja organisers involved with the incidents, will be denied from organising puja,” he told reporters and issued a stern warning to the puja organisers.
