The Santosh Mitra Square puja, led by BJP leader Sajal Ghosh, remained a key focus for Kolkata Police on Saptami due to a surge in visitors headed to the pandal, themed on Operation Sindoor.

Ghosh alleged that police were creating obstacles by setting up barricades around the pandal. However, senior police officers managing the crowd said that these measures were essential to ensure visitor safety.

“By setting up barricades around roads leading to Lebutala Park, police are creating hurdles trying to deter visitors from visiting the Santosh Mitra Square puja pandal,” Ghosh said.

“Officers have claimed to receive multiple complaints through dial-100. But we know who has been forced to lodge complaints against us. Visitors make or break a puja, and for Santosh Mitra Square, the response has been overwhelming,” he added.

Unlike previous years, police have expanded the visitor “loop” to ease crowd flow. Visitors are being directed along Jagat Cinema Hall, Surya Sen Street, and MG Road to reach the College Square puja. From there, they are channelled towards Nebutalla Park, the site of Santosh Mitra Square puja.

“Earlier, visitors from Sealdah station would reach BB Ganguly Street and Bank of India directly to visit Santosh Mitra Square. The loop extension ensures smooth circulation, especially for those arriving via suburban trains or the East-West Metro line,” explained a senior police officer. “No visitor can reach the puja pandal directly from Sealdah station.”

As Ghosh’s puja has gained popularity in recent years, police have created a dedicated deployment plan covering the sector that includes Mohammad Ali Park, College Square, and Santosh Mitra Square. Last year, the theme was Ayodhya's Ram Mandir.

Kolkata Police commissioner Manoj Verma visited the pandal recently to oversee arrangements and review the circulation plan.

“The safety of the public is our primary concern. There can be no compromise on this,” Verma said.

Senior officers said that a two-minute video on Operation Sindoor, shown inside the Santosh Mitra Square pandal, was slowing down visitor movement. With only one entry point on Sashi Bhushan Dey Street, the long queues posed a challenge.

“There is only one entry through Sashi Bhushan Dey Street. Crowd dispersal has been slower due to heavy footfall and visitors stopping to watch the video,” said a police officer. “But several measures have been taken to prevent long queues.”

Organisers of the Mohammad Ali Park puja, who had briefly shut down the lights and closed gates on Saturday night citing police non-cooperation, said on Sunday that the dispute had been resolved.