Shillong, Oct 19: Devotees bade goodbye to goddess Durga in Meghalaya as the last day of Puja celebrations ended with the immersion of idols on Vijaya Dashami on Friday.

In state capital Shillong, hundreds of devotees joined hands in lowering the idols into Umkhrah river at the Immersion Ghat, Polo here.

People and organizers came in colorful processions to the accompaniment of drums to immerse idols of the goddess and her four children – Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesha and Kartik.

Devotees indulged in ‘sindoor khela’ or the playful smearing of vermilion on each other’s face before the idols were taken away for immersion.

Throughout the week-long Puja celebrations, tight security was made in which a team of police were deployed in each Puja pandal put up by different Puja Committees.

Police said that the celebration passed off peacefully.

East Khasi Hills district Superintendent of Police, Davis N.R. Marak said that overall, the celebration passed off peacefully except stray incident.

A police man on duty was assaulted by some persons who were in an inebriated state near the office of Shillong Municipal Board when devotees of a Puja committee took out a procession for the immersion of idols in Umkhrah river at the Immersion Ghat, Polo.

“The police personnel suffered some injuries and one of the main accused has been picked up,” Marak said.