Guwahati: A pandal artist from Kolkata has allegedly left Guwahati after collecting more than Rs 10 lakh from two Durga Puja committees for theme and structural design work, leaving organisers scrambling to complete preparations ahead of the festival.
The Chatribari Durga Puja Committee has filed a complaint against the artist, identified as Sudipta Pal, while the Nayan Tara Durga Puja Committee in Kumarpara is also considering legal action.
A member of the Chatribari committee, Pal was hired for Rs 8 lakh to design the pandal’s theme and structure. The committee had paid him approximately Rs 5.35 lakh, but only around 50 per cent of the work had been completed before he allegedly left the site.
Kamaljit alleged that Pal initially demanded payments at regular intervals before resorting to blackmail. He added that the committee members were unaware of when the artist had left Guwahati.
The committee member further claimed that Pal subsequently demanded an additional Rs 1 lakh, promising to complete the remaining work. Although the artist’s workers remained at the site until Monday, Pal himself could not be traced, prompting the committee to lodge a complaint.
The controversy has also affected the Nayan Tara Durga Puja Committee, which had separately engaged Pal for its pandal’s theme and structural design. Kamaljit, Pal allegedly collected more than Rs 5.50 lakh from the Kumarpara committee before leaving. The committee is now considering filing a complaint against the artist.