Patna: Durga idols were immersed at designated ghats across Patna amid tight security on Wednesday, marking the end of Dussehra festivities. Devotees gathered at several ghats to bid farewell to the goddess as police, magistrates and disaster response teams were deployed to manage crowds and prevent accidents.The district administration had made designated ghats in different zones for the immersion. Patalipul Ghat and Meenar Ghat were earmarked for the Pataliputra zone and Law College Ghat for Bankipur. In Patna City, arrangements were made at Kangan Ghat, Kila Ghat and Damrahi Ghat, while Bhadra Ghat and Gai Ghat catered to the Azimabad zone.Barricades, lighting, CCTV surveillance and separate enclosures for women were arranged at the ghats. NDRF and SDRF teams were deployed to deal with emergencies, while senior police officers inspected immersion sites and designated routes.Patna SSP Kartikey Sharma said police remained alert to ensure peaceful immersion. Senior officers inspected arrangements at the ghats and along procession routes, while adequate personnel were deployed for crowd and traffic management.In Patna City, the ceremonial urn of Badi Patan Devi temple was immersed at Bhadra Ghat after an aarti. Devotees carried the urn on their heads through the main roads before reaching the ghat for the immersion.At Pethia Bazaar in Phulwarisharif, women from Sadar Bazaar carried the Badi Devi idol on their shoulders during the immersion procession. Before the immersion, 51 women performed an aarti.Meanwhile, two fire incidents were reported in the city, but no injuries were reported.A fire broke out at a Durga Puja pandal in Adarsh Colony, Rajvanshi Nagar, while devotees had gone for idol immersion. Firefighters rushed to the spot and brought the blaze under control.District fire officer Abhishek Kumar said firefighters responded promptly after receiving the information. The cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained.In another incident, a scooter caught fire at Dakbungalow crossing under Kotwali police station limits. Fire personnel stationed near a puja pandal extinguished the blaze.
