newspop
Puri, Odisha : With lakhs of devotees expected to converge on Puri for the annual Rath Yatra beginning on July 16, Odisha Police has rolled out an extensive multi-layer security plan covering land, air and sea to ensure the nine-day festival remains safe and incident-free.
The comprehensive security strategy focuses on crowd management, traffic regulation, emergency response and surveillance, with advanced drone and anti-drone systems deployed to monitor the skies. Security along the coastline has also been significantly strengthened through joint patrolling by the Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard and Odisha Police Maritime Station, while Quick Response Teams (QRTs) will remain stationed on ships for rapid intervention if required.
The security arrangements were finalised during a high-level coordination meeting chaired by Odisha Director General of Police Y.B. Khurania, attended by senior officials from the CRPF, BSF, Railway Protection Force (RPF), Indian Coast Guard and other security agencies. The meeting reviewed the deployment of Central Armed Police Forces, NSG teams and NSG-trained Quick Response Teams, with emphasis on seamless coordination among all agencies.
Authorities have also intensified anti-sabotage measures across key locations. Bomb disposal squads, sniffer dog units and K-9 teams will remain on high alert throughout the festival, while NSG-trained Special Operations Group (SOG) and Special Tactical Unit (STU) personnel will be strategically deployed to respond swiftly to any emergency.
Special arrangements have been made to prevent overcrowding and stampede-like situations through enhanced barricading, regulated movement of devotees, improved traffic management and coordinated crowd control measures. Police accommodation, emergency response systems and dedicated routes have also been planned to facilitate smooth conduct of the festival and orderly darshan.
To curb criminal activities during the event, Odisha Police has launched a special drive targeting habitual offenders. Photographs of identified criminals involved in thefts and robberies at railway stations and on trains will be displayed at major public places and shared with the Railway Protection Force for enhanced surveillance.
Security checks have also been intensified at hotels, lodges, monasteries, temples, dharmshalas, bus stands, railway stations and workers’ accommodations across Puri.
More than 12,000 police personnel will be deployed throughout the nine-day Rath Yatra, making it one of the largest security operations undertaken for the annual religious festival in Odisha.
