Police ask Durga Puja committee in Kolkata to stop dance performance over safety concerns

Kolkata, Sep 30 (PTI) The Kolkata Police on Tuesday asked organisers of the ‘Tridhara Akalbodhan’ Durga Puja Committee to immediately halt the staging of a dance performance around the pandal area, citing safety concerns for visitors, a senior officer said.

In a letter to the organisers, the officer-in-charge of Rabindra Sarobar Police Station noted that the ‘Aghori dance’ performance held in front of the pandal and at two additional spots within the premises, was causing “significant congestion, potentially endangering public safety”.

“This is a grave concern which needs to be attended to immediately,” the police officer said.

"The request to discontinue the performance with immediate effect is to ensure smooth visitor movement and prevent any untoward incident. The puja pandal is located on Manoharpukur Road in south Kolkata, one of the city's most visited during the festive season," a Kolkata Police officer told PTI.

Police personnel have stepped up monitoring in the area as crowd management remains a priority during the celebrations, he added. PTI SCH RBT