Intensive patrolling across hotspots, calls to families known to splurge on firecrackers, meetings with representatives of housing complexes and an overwhelming majority deciding to abide by the high court order — a combination of factors resulted in Calcutta witnessing one of the most silent Kali Pujas/Diwalis in several decades.

There were a few complaints about bursting of firecrackers, in violation of the blanket ban on fireworks imposed by the high court, late on Saturday and on Sunday evening, but by and large it was a noiseless Kali Puja-Diwali this time.

Till 9.30pm on Saturday, only 15 people were arrested for bursting firecrackers and lighting sparklers in Calcutta. By dawn, the figure shot up to 290.

Last year, police had arrested 400 people on Kali Puja night for bursting banned firecrackers.

There were pre-Puja drives across markets where firecrackers are usually sold in Calcutta. Fireworks on sale were seized. On Saturday night, the police seized 1,054kg of firecrackers from different parts of the city.

But that alone didn't make the difference, the police said.

“A sizeable number of people wanted to adhere to the high court directive and that made the difference. It would not have been possible for the police to visit houses and seize firecrackers,” said an officer at Lalbazar on Sunday.

Ahead of the festival day, officers from respective police stations and the detective department had identified areas that required intense patrolling to enforce the ban on firecrackers.

“Representatives of housing complexes were told that if there were any complaints about violation of the court order, the president or the secretary of the residents’ association concerned will be arrested,” said an officer of Kasba police station. Families known to splurge on firecrackers were called and asked to abide by the court’s order.