Agartala, Sep 26: The Tripura Police are fully prepared to ensure a safe and peaceful Durga Puja celebration this year, Director General of Police (DGP) Anurag Dhankar said at a press conference on Thursday.
Durga Puja, the biggest festival for Bengalis, will see enhanced security across the state. The DGP said additional forces, including district police, traffic units, Tripura State Rifles (TSR), and women police, have been deployed. This year, more administrative officials are engaged in festival duties compared to previous years.
Around 2,965 pandals are being set up, up from 2,750 last year — a nearly 10% increase. All emergency services — fire, PWD, electricity, and telecom — have been placed on alert. Organizers have been instructed to obtain special permits for sound systems, with restrictions on noise levels capped at 75 decibels, as per High Court directives.
To manage crowds, 6,550 TSR personnel, 380 additional officers, and 920 trainees — totaling 7,750 security personnel — will be deployed across Tripura. Surveillance will be strengthened with 215 mobile patrol vehicles and 320 CCTV cameras, compared to 216 last year. Organizers have also been asked to install cameras at pandals.
Coordination meetings have been held with puja committees, and sniffer dogs and bomb squads will be deployed at major sites. From September 29 to October 2, No-Entry Zones will be enforced between 5 PM and 1 AM, allowing only private vehicles inside pandal areas to ease congestion.
The DGP warned against extortion and illegal donation drives, assuring strict police action. Citizens can report incidents via the 112 helpline. Special security will also be in place at railway stations and border areas in coordination with the BSF.
Dhankar urged public cooperation to ensure a safe, peaceful, and joyous Durga Puja.