States » EastPosted at: Oct 15 2026 11:17PM


Kolkata Police launch ‘Bondhu Kolkata’ initiative to help reunite missing persons with families during Puja

Kolkata, Oct 15 (UNI) Kolkata Police on Thursday launched the ‘Bondhu Kolkata’ (Friend Kolkata) initiative to help people who get separated from their companions amid the crowds during Durga Puja.
Senior police officials inaugurated 10 ‘Bondhu Kolkata’ vehicles at the force’s headquarters in Lalbazar. The vehicles will patrol different parts of the city from Panchami to Vijayadashami.
The initiative aims to help people locate family members and companions who go missing in crowded puja pandals. Police officers said people of all ages should not panic if they lose track of their loved ones and should approach the nearest police personnel for assistance.
According to Lalbazar sources, children are particularly vulnerable to getting separated from their families. Several state government departments and voluntary organisations have joined hands with the police for the initiative.
Each vehicle will have a sub-inspector or assistant sub-inspector, a constable, a woman constable and a representative of a voluntary organisation.
The vehicles will patrol the city carrying items such as balloons, chips and chocolates to comfort children who become separated from their families.
“The police personnel will interact with them in a friendly and comforting manner. The ‘Bondhu Kolkata’ teams will visit various puja pandals to check if any children or elderly persons have gone missing. The officers in these vehicles will then take any lost individuals to the nearest police station. Female police personnel at the police stations will ensure that any missing children or elderly individuals are well looked after and do not face any distress,” an officer said.
Police personnel will also remain alert to reports of missing persons. If guardians report a missing child at a puja marquee, the information will be passed on to the concerned police station, which will then alert other police stations across Kolkata.
The network is intended to help reunite missing children and elderly people with their guardians. The patrol vehicles will remain operational until the early hours of the morning and look out for people who may have become separated from their families on the streets. The teams will bring such individuals to the nearest police station.
UNI BGA NST BM
Tags: #Kolkata Police launch ‘Bondhu Kolkata’ initiative to help reunite missing persons with families during Puja
More News

Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari likens troublemakers to cockroaches, calls for tougher action

15 Oct 2026 | 11:21 PM

Midnapore, Oct 15 (UNI) Invoking the imagery of cockroaches and bedbugs to target those allegedly working to weaken the country from within, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Thursday called for a tougher government response while reacting to a question about a reported notice asking actor Irrfan Khan to leave the country over his alleged support for the Kashmir movement.

see more..

Kolkata Police launch ‘Bondhu Kolkata’ initiative to help reunite missing persons with families during Puja

15 Oct 2026 | 11:17 PM

Kolkata, Oct 15 (UNI) Kolkata Police on Thursday launched the ‘Bondhu Kolkata’ (Friend Kolkata) initiative to help people who get separated from their companions amid the crowds during Durga Puja.

see more..

Bengal in talks with other states to ease inter-state bus services

15 Oct 2026 | 11:12 PM

Kolkata, Oct 15 (UNI) The West Bengal Transport Department is in talks with other states to facilitate the smooth operation of long-distance bus services by private operators, state Transport Minister Arjun Singh said on Thursday.

see more..

Odisha sets 72-hour deadline to complete pending flood compensation

15 Oct 2026 | 9:55 PM

Bhubaneswar, Oct 15 (UNI) Odisha Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari on Thursday directed officials to ensure that all pending compensation payments to flood-affected people in the state are disbursed within the next 72 hours.

see more..

Odisha excise crackdown: 470 arrested, contraband worth Rs 5 10 crore seized

15 Oct 2026 | 9:40 PM

Bhubaneswar, Oct 15 (UNI) The Odisha Excise Department has arrested 470 persons and registered 958 cases, including 25 under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, during a five-day crackdown on illicit liquor and narcotics as part of intensified enforcement measures for the ongoing festival season.

see more..