Police have taken the assistance of Puja organisers for effective crowd control over the next few festive days.

The coming week is a hectic one for the force. Durga Puja celebrations would continue till October 22, while Muharram would be observed on October 24. A few days of respite and officers would be again on alert for the election in the city. Patna and five more districts vote on October 28.

Right now, the focus is on Durga Puja and a safe Dussehra.

"Special arrangements have been made for the safety of the people who would go around the city in large numbers during Durga Puja and visit pandals across the city. The help of Puja organisers, too, has been roped in for effective policing. Proper care is being taken to ensure the safety of women and children. All the pandals have also put up bannerson monitoring of crowd and dos and don'ts while for the revellers while moving in numbers," Patna senior superintendent of police (SSP) Vikas Vaibhav said.

Arvind Kumar Singh, a resident of Bhoothnath Road, said: "It has been three years I have not taken my family out to see the Puja pandals. Eve-teasing and crowd mismanagement are common but it is good that this year paramilitary personnel have been deputed for security. Still, I won't believe till I see it."

The memory of last year's Dusshera stampede at Gandhi Maidan fresh in everyone's minds, the police have installedwatchtowers, closed-circuit television cameras and public address systems to ensure safety of devotees during Ravan Vadh.

An officer said: "This time, Dussehra at Gandhi Maidan would be well organised. All the necessary arrangements have been taken for the safety of people. Watchtowers and CCTV cameras have been set up and regular paging of instructions through public address system among others would be maintained."

In addition to the district personnel, around 200 companies of central paramilitary forces would also be deployed in Patna during Durga Puja to maintain law and order.

The SSP said: "Central paramilitary forces have arrived in Patna for the elections on October 28. So, they also have been deputed for Puja duty around the city for round-the-clock vehicle checks and keeping an eye on trouble mongers. Eleven checkpoints have been set up in the rural areas of Patna and another 11 in the urban areas. Besides, 200 men would keep an eye on the riverine areas."