HC orders Nadia DM give decision on 112-feet durga idol in Ranaghat in 24-hours

A legal dispute has arisen over a 112-feet Durga idol being built in Ranaghat, Nadia district, as the Puja Committee claims they were denied permission by the police to proceed with the installation. The matter was taken to the Calcutta High Court, where the Puja Committee sought intervention after receiving no official response from authorities.

In a hearing held on Wednesday, Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharya's bench directed the District Magistrate (DM) of Nadia to decide the idol within 24 hours. The DM is expected to deliver a verdict by 2 pm on Thursday, determining whether or not the Puja Committee can proceed with their plans. The High Court will reconvene in the evening for further hearings, contingent on the DM's decision.

The Abhiyan Sangh of Kamalpur, Ranaghat, has been organizing Durga Puja for nearly 50 years without previous issues regarding permissions. This year, however, their ambitious plan to construct a 112-foot Durga idol faced sudden challenges when the police reportedly halted construction.

According to the organizers' lawyers, permission was requested on September 3, but no official objections or decisions were communicated until the intervention of the police, which occurred after the state’s Chief Minister remarked on the project. The Puja organizers also noted the possibility of international attention, with representatives from the United Nations potentially visiting to witness the record-breaking idol.