Puja Crowds, Criminal Gangs: Is Guwahati Police Ready to Protect the City?
Durga Puja is approaching, and Guwahati Police face a test that goes beyond traffic diversions, barricades and the deployment of uniformed personnel. As thousands of devotees prepare to visit pandals across the city, the police must confront an uncomfortable reality: crowded streets, distracted visitors, congested parking areas and late-night movement can create opportunities for criminals, while a lapse in crowd management or emergency preparedness can turn a festive evening into a nightmare.
ALSO READ: After CUSU Polls, Cotton University Students Demand Action on Campus Issues
The recent arrest of two alleged members of an inter-state gang described by police as an “Irani” gang, in connection with theft and snatching cases in Guwahati, has added urgency to the challenge. The arrests raise questions about whether investigators have identified the wider network, whether other suspects remain at large and whether preventive measures are strong enough to deter similar crimes during the festive rush. The accused must be presumed innocent unless proven guilty, but the cases underline the importance of intelligence-led policing during mass gatherings.
The question is not simply how many personnel can be deployed at major pandals. It is whether they will be positioned where crimes are likely to occur, whether complaints will trigger prompt action, whether vulnerable stretches will be monitored and whether police can respond effectively when several incidents occur at once. Guwahati cannot afford a security plan that looks impressive on paper but leaves ordinary people feeling vulnerable on the streets.
The Brihattar Kahilipara Sarbojonin Durga Puja Udjapan Samiti has sought adequate police patrolling and security arrangements in and around Kahilipara, particularly during evening and night hours. The committee has also called for proper traffic regulation and protection for devotees, visitors and vehicles. Its appeal highlights the importance of neighbourhood-level policing rather than concentrating all available resources at a handful of prominent pandals.
When a puja committee specifically requests regular and effective patrolling, the police must ensure that its concerns are addressed through clear deployment plans and verifiable arrangements. The appeal does not establish that security is absent, but it demonstrates that local organisers consider police presence an important requirement.
The Irani gang question: Are arrests enough?
On September 28, Basistha Police arrested two alleged members of an inter-state gang described as an Irani gang in connection with a series of theft and snatching cases. Police identified the accused as Aniket Das and Kishan Kumar, residents of Katihar in Bihar. Investigators reportedly recovered a motorcycle suspected of carrying a fake number plate, gold chains, master keys, metal rods and packets of a substance described as “bandar kekowa”.
Police suspected the accused of involvement in chain-snatching and targeting people after they withdrew money from banks, with possible links to incidents elsewhere in Assam and neighbouring states.
The arrests are significant, but larger questions remain. Have investigators established the full extent of the alleged operation? Have they identified possible accomplices, vehicles or other methods used in the suspected offences? Have police stations across Guwahati compared pending theft and snatching cases to determine whether there are common links? These are questions the investigation must answer, rather than assumptions that can be made from the arrests alone.
During Durga Puja, police should intensify intelligence gathering around known theft and snatching hotspots, review recent complaints and circulate verified information to patrol teams. If investigators establish that suspects or associates operate across state borders, coordination with police in other jurisdictions will be essential.
The danger is that the arrest of two suspects may create a false sense of security while other offenders continue operating. Arrests are important, but the public also needs preventive policing that makes it harder for offenders to strike in the first place.
Pickpockets, chain-snatchers and mobile thieves will exploit the crowds
The most immediate threat to many visitors may not be an organised gang but opportunistic criminals who take advantage of confusion.
At crowded pandals, people often concentrate on the idols, photographs, queues and the movement of their families. Bags remain open, phones are held above heads to take pictures, and wallets are carried in easily accessible pockets. In the resulting crush, a theft can occur within seconds, leaving the victim unsure where to report it or which direction the offender took.
A stolen phone is not merely a lost device. It can contain personal photographs, confidential conversations, banking applications and access to digital accounts. A stolen wallet can leave a visitor without cash, identification or the means to return home. Chain-snatching can cause physical injury as well as financial loss.
Police deployment must therefore extend beyond the main entrances of popular pandals to approach roads, food stalls, pedestrian crossings, parking areas and public transport points. Plainclothes surveillance, where supported by intelligence and deployed lawfully, can complement visible patrols.
The police should also make reporting straightforward. Visitors must be able to identify the nearest assistance point, alert officers quickly and receive clear instructions on filing a complaint. Patrol teams should have reliable communication with control rooms so reports can be shared across nearby locations.
If similar incidents are reported at several pandals, the information should be assessed promptly rather than treated as a series of unrelated complaints. Quick information-sharing can help officers identify patterns, locate suspects and prevent further offences.
The public should not have to choose between enjoying the festival and worrying constantly about theft. Preventing crime in crowded public spaces is a core policing responsibility, not an additional service to be offered only when sufficient personnel are available.
Women’s safety must extend beyond the pandal gates
For women and girls, a safe Durga Puja means more than the absence of major law-and-order incidents. It means being able to visit pandals, move through crowded streets, use public transport and return home without fear of harassment, stalking or intimidation.
The police should identify poorly lit stretches, congested pedestrian routes and isolated parking areas where visitors may be vulnerable. Women officers should be accessible at major locations, and patrol teams must be prepared to intervene promptly when harassment is reported or witnessed.
A complaint of inappropriate touching or stalking must not be dismissed as a minor disagreement simply because it occurs in a crowd. Nor should a victim be made to feel responsible for an offender’s conduct because she visited a pandal late at night.
Puja committees must ensure that volunteers are identifiable and know how to summon police assistance. Volunteers can help guide visitors, manage queues and assist distressed people, but they should not be expected to investigate crimes or confront suspected offenders themselves.
Police should also establish clear arrangements for missing children, separated family members and people who become disoriented in crowded areas. A designated help desk is useful only if it is staffed, visible and connected to personnel who can act.
The real measure of women’s safety is not how many advisories are issued before the festival. It is whether a woman who seeks help receives an immediate, respectful and effective response.
Traffic management cannot become an excuse for neglecting crime
Guwahati’s congested roads present another major challenge. During the festivities, vehicles compete for limited parking space, pedestrians spill onto roads and traffic builds around major pandals. Poorly managed diversions can obstruct emergency vehicles, while motorists forced to park far from their destinations may have to walk through unfamiliar or poorly lit areas.
The administration’s 2026 guidelines prohibit parking within 100 metres of puja pandals. The restriction is intended to improve traffic movement and preserve access around crowded venues. But enforcing a ban without providing adequate alternatives can simply displace the problem into residential lanes and adjoining roads.
Police must identify parking areas, communicate restrictions clearly and prevent unauthorised parking operators from exploiting the festive rush. Patrols should keep intersections clear, protect pedestrian crossings and ensure that ambulance and fire-service access is not blocked.
Traffic police should also coordinate with crime-prevention teams. An officer occupied with a major traffic jam cannot simultaneously monitor a nearby crowd for theft, making coordinated deployment particularly important.
The police should publish clear information about diversions and parking arrangements and ensure that personnel on the ground can explain them to visitors. Confusing instructions and inconsistent enforcement will only increase frustration.
Most importantly, traffic management must not consume the entire security operation. A city can keep vehicles moving and still fail to protect visitors from theft, harassment or other offences.
CCTV cameras are useful only when somebody acts on what they record
The 2026 guidelines require puja committees to install CCTV cameras, submit volunteer details to the police and maintain security arrangements at their venues. Separate entry and exit routes, emergency evacuation provisions and trained personnel for electrical and fire safety also form part of the requirements.
These are necessary measures, but the existence of cameras does not automatically guarantee security. Are the cameras operational? Do they cover approaches to pandals and surrounding parking areas? Can footage be retrieved quickly when a theft is reported? Are organisers clear about whom to contact if suspicious activity is detected? These practical questions must be settled before the crowds arrive.
A camera that records a crime but provides no timely assistance to the victim is primarily an investigative tool, not a substitute for prevention. CCTV coverage must be supported by personnel who can communicate with the police and by a response system that does not leave complaints waiting while suspects disappear.
Police and organisers should test equipment, identify blind spots and ensure recordings can be preserved when an incident occurs. Surveillance must also be used lawfully and for legitimate security purposes.
The same principle applies to help desks. A signboard declaring the availability of assistance means little if the desk is unattended or visitors do not know how to obtain help.
Fire, overcrowding and emergency preparedness
Criminal activity is only one part of the security challenge. An electrical fault, fire, structural failure or sudden surge of people can produce a serious emergency within minutes.
The administration’s guidelines require separate entry and exit routes, emergency evacuation arrangements, fire-prevention equipment and trained personnel responsible for electrical and fire safety. Police must verify that these requirements are implemented rather than relying entirely on assurances from organisers.
Emergency exits must remain unobstructed, queues must not become dangerously compressed and fire engines must be able to approach affected locations. Volunteers should know how to guide people towards safe exits without causing panic.
Coordination between police, fire services, medical teams and puja committees must be established before an emergency occurs. Each agency should know who will raise the alarm, who will clear access routes and who will communicate verified information to the public.
The police must also be prepared for misinformation. A false message about an incident at a crowded pandal can trigger panic or communal tension before the facts are established. Rapid verification and clear official communication are essential.
Preparedness does not mean creating fear about hypothetical threats. It means ensuring that credible risks are assessed, responsibilities are assigned and emergency arrangements can work under pressure.
The public deserves more than promises of adequate security
The annual announcement of security guidelines is an important administrative step, but it cannot be the final measure of preparedness. The public needs to know whether the guidelines are being followed and whether complaints will receive timely attention.
Police supervisors should verify patrol deployment, check communication arrangements and assess vulnerable locations throughout the festival. Complaints should be reviewed for recurring patterns, and resources should be shifted when particular areas experience repeated incidents.
If thefts occur around a particular pandal, authorities must examine whether there were gaps in patrol coverage, surveillance or information-sharing. If traffic arrangements repeatedly block emergency access, the plan must be corrected rather than defended simply because it was approved beforehand.
The police should also communicate practical safety advice to visitors: keep valuables secure, avoid displaying large amounts of cash, use authorised parking, report thefts promptly and seek help from identifiable personnel. But public vigilance must complement professional policing, not replace it.
The responsibility for preventing crime and responding to emergencies rests with the authorities. Citizens should not be expected to compensate for gaps in deployment or coordination.
Durga Puja is a celebration of faith, community and the triumph of good over evil. For Guwahati Police, it is also an opportunity to demonstrate that public safety means more than uniforms at intersections and barricades outside pandals.
The arrests in the alleged inter-state theft case, the concerns raised by local organisers and the risks associated with crowded streets all point to the same requirement: policing must be proactive, intelligence-led and accountable.
The city needs officers who can prevent crime before it happens, investigators who can follow evidence beyond an arrest, traffic personnel who keep emergency routes open and a command structure that responds quickly when circumstances change.
Ultimately, the success of festive policing will not be measured by the number of personnel deployed or the length of the security advisory. It will be measured by whether families can visit pandals without fear, women can travel home safely, vehicles remain secure and victims of crime receive prompt assistance.
Guwahati Police must ensure that festive crowds do not become cover for criminals and that security arrangements are visible not merely in official announcements but in the everyday experience of the public. A peaceful Durga Puja is not achieved when the police declare the city secure; it is achieved when residents and visitors have good reason to feel safe.
