AGARTALA: Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Monday inaugurated the three-day Diwali festival and mela at the Mata Tripura Sundari temple, one of the 51 Shakti Peethas revered by Hindus, at Udaipur in southern Tripura’s Gomati district.
Before formally inaugurating the Diwali festival and mela, the Chief Minister, accompanied by his wife Swapna Saha and several Cabinet colleagues, performed puja at the famous temple.
Transport and Tourism Minister Sushanta Chowdhury said that the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) is operating two special trains — Agartala–Dharmanagar–Agartala and Agartala–Sabroom–Agartala — for three days (October 20 to 22) to manage the heavy passenger rush during the festival and mela. Thousands of devotees from various parts of the country participate in the festivities every year.
Earlier, hundreds of people from Bangladesh also joined the annual Diwali festival and mela, but following last year’s political turmoil in the neighbouring country, the number of participants has drastically reduced. Gomati district Superintendent of Police (SP) Kiran Kumar K said that elaborate security arrangements have been made to maintain law and order during the three-day festivities.
As part of the security measures, over 3,000 security personnel, including those from the Tripura State Rifles (TSR), have been deployed. Thirty-seven CCTV cameras and 10 watchtowers have been installed in and around the temple complex for round-the-clock surveillance, the IPS officer said.
Forces from the district police and the CRPF have been deployed, while several hundred volunteers have been engaged to manage the large crowds and devotees expected during the three-day celebration. The district police chief said that regular vehicle checking and intensified patrolling are also being carried out to prevent any untoward incidents. (IANS)
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