About 1,500 Durga Idols to Be Immersed in Barabanki on Oct 20 with Tight Security

Around 1,500 goddess idols will be immersed in Barabanki on 20 October, prompting the district and police administration to ready five river ghats and deploy extensive crowd‑control teams. The Saryu, Kalyani, Gomti, Reth and Sumli rivers have been fitted with lighting, barricades, drinking‑water stations and thorough cleaning. District Magistrate Ishan Pratap Singh and SP Ravina Tyagi inspected the Kalyani river ghats at 5:45 PM on Monday, confirming that safety measures are in place. Earlier, Sub‑Divisional Magistrate Akanksha Gupta, Tehsildar Vipul Singh and Kotwal Arun Pratap Singh inspected the Saryu ghats on Sunday, directing bridge‑building firm Superva to install barricades at marked spots and its contractor to supervise the setup. Boatmen, trained divers and flood‑PAC personnel have been posted to prevent any untoward incident and to manage the large crowds of devotees. Officials stressed that all preparations are complete and that the presence of divers adds an extra layer of security for both worshippers and the idols during immersion. Photos of the ready ghats have been released, showing the organized layout and the readiness of the teams on standby. ## Context Idol immersion after Navratri is a long‑standing tradition in North India, and authorities often reinforce riverbanks to ensure safety when large numbers of devotees gather for the ritual.