Security stepped up in seven zones in Puri for Debasnan Purnima
DIG (central range) Ashish Singh and Puri SP Uma Shankar Dash take stock of security arrangements around Jagan…Read More
BHUBANESWAR: Police have divided Puri into seven zones and drawn security plans to ensure smooth conduct of Debasnan Purnima festival in Jagannath temple on Friday. Wary of Covid-19 pandemic, the government has banned congregation of devotees in and outside the temple this time.
“We have promulgated prohibitory orders under section 144 of CrPC around the temple to prevent gathering of people. Government will facilitate live telecast of the festival through Doordarshan. Devotees can watch the festival live on their TV screens. We appeal to people to stay indoors and do not violate the 144 order,” Puri district collector and deputy chief administrator of Jagannath temple, Balwant Singh said.
Deputy inspector general (DIG-central range) Ashish Singh toured Puri on Thursday and fined-tuned the security arrangements. At least 38 platoons of police force have been deployed in Puri to ensure that the festival passes off peacefully. “We will prevent unauthorized access of people and vehicles to the close proximity of the temple. We have identified seven zones and beefed up security. Zone one is the surrounding of temple, zone two is Grand Road, zone three is the area between Bali Sahi Road and Dolamandap Sahi, zone four is the area between Bali Sahi Road and Lokanath Road, zone five is the area between Lokanath Road and Mangalaghat Chhak, zone six is the route between Hospital Square to Subash Bose Chhak and zone seven is the five entry points of Puri town,” DIG Singh said.
Special drive police parties and nine mobile patrolling units have been formed to dissuade any gathering by people in the restricted 144 areas. Armed cops will also be positioned on rooftops around the temple, police said.
Temple officials said the Debasnan Purnima rituals will be performed by a limited number of servitors, who have already undergone Covid-19 test and stayed in home isolation. The idols of gods Jagannath, Balabhadra and goddess Subhadra are scheduled to be brought from the sanctum sanctorum to the bathing altar inside the temple in the intervening night of Thursday and Friday. The deities will be given ceremonial bath on Snan Mandap (bathing altar) on Friday.