Post News Network
Puri, May 3: A five-tier security blanket will be thrown in the pilgrim city and 145 platoons of armed police will be deployed for the upcoming Rath Yatra of Srimandir deities scheduled to be held July 6.
A decision in this regard was taken at a preparatory meeting chaired by director general of police (DGP) KB Singh here Tuesday.
Sources said decisions on maintenance of law and order, crowd management, traffic regulations and security cover for VVIPs were taken
at the high-level meeting.
“The district police will hire a few boats to intensify sea patrolling on the occasion. Police officers having expertise in crowd management will be deployed in the city during the car festival,” said Singh.
Sources said altogether 55 platoons of armed police personnel, four commandant rank officers, eight additional superintendent of police rank officers, 15 deputy superintendent of police rank officers, 36 inspectors and 329 sub-inspectors will be deployed during the Snana Purnima ritual of the deities June 20.
“We have planned to engage 145 platoons police personnel, 10 commandants, 15 ASPs, 48 DSPs, 77 inspectors and 604 sub-inspectors and assistant sub-inspectors during the car festival,” Singh said, adding two companies of Rapid Action Force, equal number of Central Reserve Police Force companies, three units of special operations group (SOG) personnel and a few units of Orissa Disaster Rapid Action Force and NDRF personnel will be mobilised for the festival.
District police sources said around 70 platoons of police force will be mobilised for the Suna Besa ritual of the Trinity July 15. “Five platoons of police personnel will be engaged to provide security to the VVIPs visiting the holy city during the car festival,” said a police officer.
The district police have decided to install pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras at eight strategic places of the city to keep tabs on anti-social elements,
sources said.
“As per a decision taken at the meeting, new police outposts will be opened at Hospital Square, Talabania, Sunar Gaurang, Swargadwar, Gundichabadi and Malatipatpur,” said the senior official.
