Kolkata pandal artist accused of fleeing with over Rs 10 lakh from two Guwahati puja committees

A pandal artist from Kolkata has allegedly left Guwahati after collecting over Rs 10 lakh from two Durga Puja committees for theme and structural design work, leaving organisers scrambling to complete preparations ahead of the festival. 

The Chatribari Durga Puja Committee has filed a complaint against the artist, identified as Sudipta Pal, while the Nayan Tara Puja Committee in Kumarpara is also considering legal action.

According to Kamaljit, a member of the Chatribari Durga Puja Committee, Pal was contracted for Rs 8 lakh to design the entire theme and structure of the pandal. The committee had paid him approximately Rs 5.35 lakh, but only around 50 per cent of the work was completed before he allegedly left the site.

Speaking exclusively to India Today NE, Kamaljit said the artist initially sought payments at regular intervals before allegedly resorting to blackmailing. The committee members said they were unaware of when he left Guwahati.

"We had engaged him for the entire theme and structural design of the pandal for Rs 8 lakh. We had already paid him around Rs 5.35 lakh, but he completed only 50 per cent of the work and left. Initially, he demanded money regularly and later resorted to blackmailing. We did not even know when he left Guwahati," Kamaljit said.

The committee member further alleged that Pal subsequently demanded an additional Rs 1 lakh, promising to complete the remaining work. Although the artist's workers were present at the site until Monday, the artist himself could not be traced, prompting the committee to file a complaint.

The controversy has also affected the Nayan Tara Durga Puja Committee in Kumarpara, which had separately engaged Pal for its pandal's theme and structural design.

According to Kamaljit, the artist allegedly collected more than Rs 5.50 lakh from the Nayan Tara committee before leaving. He said the committee was likely to file a complaint against Pal as well.

The alleged incident has raised concerns over the preparations at both pandal sites, with the committees facing the challenge of completing the remaining work as Durga Puja approaches.