640 Kali Puja arrests across Kolkata, 850 kilos of illegal firecrackers seized

Kolkata Police intensified their usual post-Diwali crackdown, arresting 640 people across the city for various illegal activities during the Kali Puja celebrations, including the use of banned fireworks, disorderly conduct and gambling.​

According to officials, a total of 451 individuals were detained for disorderly behaviour, 183 for bursting banned firecrackers and 6 for gambling.

In addition, traffic authorities prosecuted 882 offenders for violations such as not wearing helmets while riding pillion, bursting firecrackers in restricted zones, rash driving and public disorder. There were 99 motorists booked for drunk driving, while 156 others faced penalties for violating other traffic and safety rules.​

Police said they also seized over 850 kilograms of illegal firecrackers and 68.4 litres of liquor during the Monday night celebrations, underscoring the widespread flouting of court-imposed restrictions on fireworks.

The West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB) had authorised the use of only eco-friendly green crackers between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Kali Puja night, yet loud, high-decibel fireworks were reported in several neighbourhoods, from Maniktala and Tollygunge to Behala, Kasba and Salt Lake.

​Environmental groups such as Sabuj Manch criticised the authorities for failing to enforce the curbs effectively, saying that “elderly citizens, children and animals were exposed to extreme sound and air pollution”.

Experts agree Kolkata’s air quality dropped to the ‘severe’ range overnight as thick smog from firecracker emissions blanketed the skyline. The day before Kali Puja (19 October, Sunday), the AQI hovered between 'unhealthy' and 'poor', with PM2.5 level reaching 238 at one monitoring station in the evening.

Police had earlier warned that strict action would be taken against anyone violating the state’s ‘green fireworks’ directive. “Violation of the stipulated time slots will invite penal action,” a senior officer reiterated, referencing Supreme Court and Calcutta High Court orders banning high-decibel fireworks and chemical-laced crackers.​

Ahead of the celebrations, authorities had already seized around 6,000 kilos of banned firecrackers across the city and arrested 56 people for illegal sale and storage. Despite these preventive operations and large police deployment across festival hotspots, pockets of Kolkata continued to witness rampant violations.​

Police officials said special drives would continue through the post-festival week, particularly in north and south Kolkata, to identify remaining stockpiles of illegal firecrackers and hold offending traders accountable. The WBPCB has also announced follow-up inspections of the city’s bazi bazars (fireworks markets) to ensure compliance during the upcoming Chhath Puja celebrations on 28 October.

With PTI inputs