Odisha: DGP urges caution for elderly, children during Rath Yatra

Bhubaneswar, July 17 (AHN) The Director General of Police (DGP), Odisha Police, Y.B. Khurania, on Friday advised aged devotees and those not keeping well to avoid visiting Puri during the ongoing Rath Yatra, citing the massive influx of pilgrims to the holy coastal town.

Speaking to media persons, Khurania also appealed to devotees not to bring children under 1 and 2 years of age when coming to Puri for the darshan of the holy siblings, stressing that the advisory was issued in the interest of their safety and well‑being in view of the massive crowd.

“The Bada Danda is crowded. Lakhs of devotees are present on the Bada Danda and in Puri town. Large numbers of people are thronging to Puri from various directions. The festival ambience appears cheerful and vibrant,” Khurania said.

The Odisha DGP also advised devotees coming to Puri to review the police advisories issued from time to time and strictly abide by the instructions. He said elaborate arrangements have been put in place to ensure smooth conduct of the Rath Yatra festival this year.

Meanwhile, the Puri district Police has arrested 103 snatchers and seized 203 mobile phones stolen from devotees in a special anti‑snatching drive during the ongoing Rath Yatra festival.

In view of the massive influx of visitors, Puri Police have been successfully conducting a special anti‑snatching drive alongside extensive security arrangements to prevent snatching, pickpocketing, and other property‑related crimes.

During the Rath Yatra, special police teams have been maintaining round‑the‑clock surveillance at Bada Danda (Grand Road), the Shree Jagannath Temple precincts, the beach, the bus stand, the railway station, parking areas, and other crowded locations. With the help of CCTV cameras, modern technological equipment and intelligence inputs, suspicious persons are being identified and arrested promptly.

The police have appealed to all devotees and members of the public to remain vigilant about their mobile phones, wallets, gold ornaments and other valuables in crowded places.

It is worth noting that lakhs of devotees on Friday pulled the chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra to near the Gundicha Temple on the second day of the Rath Yatra festival in Puri.

The chariots had remained halted midway after the administration suspended their pulling on Thursday evening in view of devotees' safety. The deities will be taken to the Gundicha Temple in the ceremonial Pahandi Bije ritual on Saturday. Devotees had the darshan of the holy triad on their respective chariots on Friday.