Traditional rituals and fanfare marked the start of the Durga puja in Tripura.
The police have made elaborate security arrangements for the five-day celebrations ending on October 23. In Agartala alone, 2,400 policemen, paramilitary personnel and Home Guards have been deployed. CCTV cameras have been installed, and 20 checkpoints have been opened in and around Agartala to regulate traffic and check vehicles. Twenty-five police help booths have been set up.
Superintendent of Police (Control) Uttam Kumar Bhowmik said: “257 community pujas are taking place in Agartala this year. This is a slight increase from last year.”
He said 2,500 community pujas would be organised in the State, including in tribal areas where the number of venues increased.
Police officers said they were focussing more on Agartala as the city witnessed serial blasts on the eve of the festival in 2008. The violence was blamed on the All Tripura Tiger Force, now defunct. The vigil has also been stepped up after the recent arrest of some extremist collaborators revealed a conspiracy to disturb the peace during the festival in Agartala.
