Kolkata: Following intelligence alerts regarding potential tensions during Ram Navami celebrations in West Bengal, state and Kolkata police have decided to implement comprehensive camera surveillance for all processions on Sunday.
To enhance monitoring, additional CCTV cameras have been installed along key procession routes throughout the state. Police personnel assigned to security duties will also wear body cameras to ensure transparent event documentation.
A senior state police official stated, “Identifying the instigators and perpetrators in the event of any disturbance is our top priority.” The official added that improved video coverage will make it significantly easier to identify individuals responsible for inciting or participating in violence.
In Kolkata, drone surveillance will complement ground monitoring efforts. All officers and personnel deployed along the routes are advised to wear appropriate protective gear.
The state police have pinpointed 10 particularly sensitive areas across Bengal. They have instructed district police superintendents and police commissioners to implement enhanced security measures in these regions.
To strengthen security in these high-risk areas, 29 senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officers have been assigned, along with a considerable number of plainclothes officers present during the processions. All lanes and bylanes near procession routes will be thoroughly sanitized before the events begin.
Earlier on Saturday, West Bengal BJP president and Union Minister of State Dr. Sukanta Majumdar urged the state administration to ensure peaceful Ram Navami celebrations. “Crores of Hindus will be celebrating Ram Navami on Sunday. The festival has been celebrated in Bengal for thousands of years, just as it is across the country. Any attempt to disrupt these celebrations must be prevented at all costs,” Majumdar emphasized.