The Deshapriya Park Durga Puja has been shut down by the Kolkata Police after near stampede on Panchami. With children and the elderly, trying to get a glimpse of the world’s biggest Durga idol; the traffic police was unable to manage the crowd. Roads are clogged around 3.5 km radius of Deshapriya Park and it is taking nearly 90 minutes to reach a distance which generally takes 15 minutes.
Visitors on social media pages also complained about the mismanagement by the puja committee and that they should have made arrangements for the crowd owing to their quarter-year long advertisements of the world’s largest idol, across the state.
After the stampede, another issue fired up the Deshapriya Park puja following allegations of a woman who was molested by one of the club members after she protested against mismanagement. Photos of her scratched neck and chest has gone viral on social media. FIR has been lodged against the accused.
Kolkata Traffic Police informed that the puja might remain shut for the remaining days of the festival. With expectations of millions, draining away, people still look forward to visit and experience the sight of the world’s biggest idol of Maa Durga at Deshapriya Park.
