Kolkata: Tensions flared at the New Bengal Sporting Club in the Garden Reach area on Friday when club members alleged that a group of Muslim men disrupted their Durga Puja rituals during the Ashtami and Navami celebrations. According to reports, the men stormed into the pandal, objecting to the music being played during the festivities.
The club claimed that the group asserted the music was disturbing their Namaz (prayers), leading to a confrontation inside the pandal. A video capturing the altercation has since gone viral on social media.
In a police complaint, the club reported, “At approximately 1:13 PM, around 50-60 individuals (described as a Muslim mob) interrupted our Puja pandal, threatening to disrupt our rituals and stating they would break Maa Durga’s idol. They also used abusive language toward our female members and others present.”
Following the incident, senior community members and police intervened to defuse the situation. Authorities have since launched an investigation into the matter.
Bharatiya Janata Party MLA and Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari criticized the Kolkata Police on X, questioning how the group was able to enter the pandal and threaten to vandalize the idol. He demanded strict action against those involved, stating, “How can you allow this to happen? I believe you will take the strictest action possible against the culprits and make them realize that this is Kolkata, not Dhaka.”
In a subsequent post, Adhikari assured concerned citizens that the Durga Puja rituals were continuing without interruption, expressing confidence in the unity of the Hindu community. He urged the Kolkata Police to identify the individuals seen in the video footage and take appropriate legal action under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS), emphasizing that exemplary punishment is necessary to prevent future incidents.
