Puja Committees In Odisha’s Cuttack City Warned Against Installing ‘Distorted’ Ganesh Idols

Cuttack: The Commissionerate Police has warned puja committees in Odisha’s Cuttack city against putting up ‘distorted’ idols at pandals during Ganesh Chaturthi on September 19.

“We have appealed to both artisans and puja organisers to refrain from selling and installing caricaturish idols, which may hurt the religious sentiments of people and lead to a law and order situation,” said Commissioner of Police (CP) Saumyendra Kumar Priyadarsi after chairing a Ganesh Puja preparatory meeting here on Friday.

Stringent action will be initiated against those violating the directive, he said, adding that the immersion ceremony will be held in three phases on September 24, October 1 and 8.

Last year, police had reprimanded some idol makers of Kumbhar Sahi area amid allegation of having given whimsical shape to the lord’s idols.

The puja committees have also been asked to refrain from collecting donations forcefully. They have also been directed to use maximum 65 decibel of sound during the immersion ceremony. “There will be no use of firecrackers. We have also restricted obscene dances during the ceremony,” DCP Pinak Mishra told the media.