Kolkata, October 24, 2026: Kolkata Police Commissioner Ajay Kumar Nand has said that police have no role in deciding who can touch or carry Durga idols during immersion, days after West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said only followers of Sanatan Dharma should handle the idols.
The commissioner said the responsibility for deciding who takes part in the immersion ritual traditionally rests with individual puja committees, while the police are responsible for maintaining law and order.
Police Say Puja Committees Decide Participation
Speaking at Kolkata Police headquarters, Nand said puja committees determine who joins the immersion process and who physically handles the idols.
He stressed that police personnel do not normally decide the religious identity of people participating in such rituals.
CM Had Said Only ‘Sanatanis’ Should Touch Idols
The controversy began after Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said during an inspection of immersion arrangements at Babughat that only followers of Sanatan Dharma should touch Durga idols.
He said the restriction was intended to preserve the sanctity and traditions associated with immersion and denied that the directive was communal.
Adhikari Asked Police to Keep Identification Details
Adhikari had also said he instructed the Kolkata Police Commissioner to maintain identification details of people involved in carrying idols into the Hooghly River.
His remarks raised questions over how such a requirement could practically be implemented and how religious affiliation would be established.
Police Chief Questions How Identity Could Be Verified
Nand said police could not determine how the religious identities of people handling idols would be verified.
He maintained that the police’s primary responsibility during immersion is crowd management, public safety and maintenance of law and order.
Puja Committees Asked to Follow Rules
At the same time, the police commissioner said puja committees had been instructed to follow statutory regulations and the administration’s directions while conducting immersion ceremonies.
Reports said the administration also asked committees to take the chief minister’s instructions into account.
Remarks Trigger Political Backlash
The chief minister’s statement prompted criticism from opposition parties, which questioned both the constitutional basis and practical implementation of restricting idol handling according to religious belief.
Opposition leaders argued that Durga Puja has traditionally involved participation from people across communities in West Bengal.
CM Defends Directive as Religious Tradition
Adhikari has rejected allegations that his statement was aimed at dividing communities.
He said immersion is fundamentally a religious ceremony and argued that longstanding traditions, scriptures and practices should be respected.
Immersion Security Tightened Across Kolkata
The controversy comes amid extensive security arrangements for Durga idol immersions across Kolkata and neighbouring areas.
Police, civic authorities, disaster-management teams and the National Disaster Response Force have been deployed at major ghats to manage crowds and reduce safety risks.
Authorities Focus on Babughat and Other Major Ghats
Babughat is one of Kolkata’s most important immersion points, handling a large number of Durga idols during the concluding days of the festival.
Security personnel have been deployed around the Hooghly riverfront, while puja committees are coordinating with officials to manage movement of idols and participants.
Police Emphasise Law-and-Order Role
Nand’s comments underline a distinction between religious ritual management and police responsibilities.
According to him, police are expected to maintain public order and safety rather than decide which individuals are religiously eligible to take part in immersion rituals.
Debate Continues Over Implementation
The chief minister’s directive has left unanswered questions about how it would be enforced in practice, particularly when workers, volunteers and puja organisers jointly handle idols during immersion.
No detailed official mechanism for verifying participants’ religious beliefs has been publicly outlined.
Immersion Arrangements Continue Through October 24
The administration’s special arrangements for Durga idol immersion remain in place through October 24, with additional police and disaster-management personnel deployed across Kolkata, Howrah, Barrackpore and Chandannagar.
The debate over who may physically handle the idols is therefore unfolding alongside the final phase of the city’s immersion ceremonies.
Source: The Indian Express, The New Indian Express, India Today
Supreme News Network
