Subhechcha Ganguly 
At the Durga Puja pandal (marquee) set up by the Bidhan Sarani Atlas Club in front of the Shyambazar tram stop in Kolkata, Molly, Camphor, Liza, and Dinky diligently sat close to the pedestal of the deity’s statue.They were invited to the opening of West Bengal’s first pet-friendly Puja pandal on Monday as “primary guests” in what was described as a “special appearance.”
But before you mistake the four for some “VIPs” or “celebrities,” you should know that Molly and Camphor, a pair of Labradors, and Liza and Dinky, a German shepherd, are canine officers with the Kolkata Police.
Later, the local police tweeted, “Paw stars! As primary guests at the opening of Kolkata’s first pet-friendly Durga Puja yesterday, Molly, Camphor, Liza, and Dinky, four members of our dog squad, made a very special appearance. This was made possible by the Bidhan Sarani Atlas Club (sic).
All parties expressed appreciation for this uncommon initiative. Even the city police sent a letter of thanks to the club. The marquee’s major message is “responsible behaviour on the road,” which includes avoiding activities like drunk driving and speeding. There is no “asura” (devil) laying at the foot of the Durga statue at the event, and it is not holding a weapon. The “asura” has been positioned such that it faces the deity across from the statue. Naturally, the statue with the two dogs on the pedestal represents a secure haven for animals.
“On behalf of animal lovers and the Kolkata Police’s dog squad, we appreciate the initiative taken by Bidhan Sarani Atlas club to start a pet-friendly puja (pandal) from this year and invite all pet parents with their pets during the Durga Puja days. It is first-of-its-kind initiative and has been appreciated by all,” read the appreciation certificate.
The Bidhan Sarani Atlas Club’s Biswajit Ghosh stated, “There are some monsters on the road who drive in such a way that their automobiles crush stray pets and kittens, etc. The real demons are those who abuse helpless animals. We therefore substituted a large man driving a two-wheeler while pulling stray dogs along behind him for the traditional “asura”. By using this image of the asura, we hope to awaken human consciousness.
