Kolkata: Crack police commando teams armed with rifles would be in readiness for quick deployment in case of exigencies in the backdrop of recent Swaminarayan temple attack during the four-day Durga pooja festival in West Bengal beginning this weekend.

The Kolkata police would also deploy 60 specially trained spotters along with commandos to patrol important areas from October 11, a day ahead of Mahasaptami.

The over 100-member commando force, trained by Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) at Matigara and Salua in the state to counter terrorists would be deployed in case of serious breach of law and order which required their services, DIG (HQ) Narayan C Ghosh said.

Stating that there was no special alert during the poojas from any department, Ghosh said close watch was being kept also on bus termini in different areas of the state so that the festive days could pass off smoothly.

Deputy Commissioner (HQ) Sibaji Ghosh said 90 police jeeps and 12,500 police personnel would be on the roads during the poojas.

Crowd control measures were also being worked out with the assistance of organisers of the large pooja pandals in areas like Lake Town and Garia.

PTI