2 cases registered in Kali idol desecration case: WB Police
The Statesman | 24 October 2025
The West Bengal Police held a Press briefing today on Ma Kali idol desecration in Kakdwip yesterday. The WB Police had posted on its X handle clarifications regarding the incident, which had led to mob mobilisation on national highways and warned against any ‘misinformation’ being spread regarding it.
On Thursday, Dr Koteswara Rao, superintendent of police, Sundarban Police District at the Media briefing said that an investigation is underway, and the matter is being forwarded to the court. In total, two cases have been registered, one for road blockade and the other for vandalism. No arrests have been made yet.
The SP said that yesterday, the police received information about a disturbance at a Ma Kali temple in Surya Nagar GP at around 5.30 p.m. The police immediately reached the spot and spoke to the puja committee members. They stated that they would file a complaint after the idol immersion and that the accused should be arrested thereafter. However, soon after, a group of outsiders entered the area, and the number of people increased as individuals from neighbouring villages joined. Later, they carried the idol to the national highway, completely blocking the road.
“We immediately deployed our forces and tried to speak to the agitators, but the highway remained blocked. Public vehicles and ambulances were stuck in the traffic. When we requested the protesters to clear the road, they became agitated and began pelting stones. At that point, our top priority was to protect the idol of Ma Kali and the sanctity associated with it. We were also receiving continuous requests from stranded people to clear the highway. They even requested that the idol be taken into safe custody. We acted swiftly, removed the idol, and placed it inside a police van to ensure its protection. The entire stretch of the road was blocked, and to prevent any damage to the idol during the stone-pelting, we decided to secure it inside the van. After that, we cleared the area and conducted continuous patrolling. We then returned to the police station, registered specific cases, and initiated an investigation,” the SP said.
Based on intelligence inputs, the police identified a person named Narayan Halder, son of Bhupati Halder, as being involved. “Narayan Halder was arrested. During interrogation, he confessed to his crime and apologised for his actions. He was found to be in an inebriated state at the time of the incident [desecration of the idol]. The investigation is underway, and the matter is being forwarded to the court. We will continue to probe the case and identify others involved. So far, no political angle has been found. Prima facie, the incident appears to be a localised issue,” Dr Koteswara Rao said.
In total, two cases have been registered – one for road blockade and the other for vandalism. No arrests have yet been made in the road blockade case, but the investigation is ongoing. The police are also checking whether there are CCTV cameras in the area. The situation is now normal, and police forces have been deployed to maintain peace and order, said the police.