Kolkata, Oct 20 (IANS) Kolkata Police registered 726 cases of traffic violations across the city on Ashtami night, officials said on Tuesday. These include cases such as two-wheeler riders not wearing a helmet, triple riding, and reckless and drunk driving.
Kolkata police released a list of traffic violations on Tuesday. According to figures released by Lalbazar, the Kolkata Police headquarters, 231 cases were registered against two-wheeler riders for not wearing helmets, while 155 cases involved triple riding.
Another 90 cases were registered for rash or reckless driving and 81 for drunk driving. The remaining 169 cases involved other traffic violations, police said.
Kolkata, as always, witnessed tight security around Durga Puja this year too. Police patrolling and surveillance have also increased on the streets. Special vigilance has been kept on the days of the festival to ensure there is no reckless or drunk driving.
This time, surveillance has been carried out from the night of Panchami. The number of arrests has increased. In addition, the number of cases filed for violating traffic laws has almost doubled compared to the initial puja days.
Until the first Saptami (Saturday), the number of such cases was around 450. In the second Saptami (Sunday), it increased to 833.
Earlier on Saturday, in a tragic incident on Saptami, as many as 19 people lost their lives in the stampede at Chorebagan Sarbojonin Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata. At least 25 people were also injured in the incident.
Security has also been stepped up around major Durga Puja pandals following the stampede. Seven people have been arrested in connection with the incident. A senior police officer has said investigators were examining a video in which the announcer could be heard saying the pandal was about to collapse.
“We are trying to identify who made the announcement and what prompted it,” the officer told a news agency.
–IANS
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