BHUBANESWAR: Police have put in place a multi-layered security cover and have deployed 52 platoons for the smooth conduct of Debasnan Purnima at the Puri Jagannath temple on Tuesday.
The major festival, which was observed amid a restriction on the congregation of devotees because of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, will witness their participation this time. Debasnan Purnima is a key annual festival observed in the run-up to Rath Yatra, which will be celebrated on July 1.
“We have made adequate security arrangements for a hassle-free Debasnan Purnima. Crowd control and traffic management plans have been finalised,” additional DGP (law and order) R K Sharma said after reviewing the security preparedness with IG (central range) Narasingha Bhol and Puri SP Kanwar Vishal Singh on Monday.
Bhol said at least a five-layered security plan has been drawn up for the temple. “We expect a huge footfall of devotees, who are being allowed to take part in the festival after two years. The state police headquarters has mobilised adequate force. Officers have been briefed about their duties. They have been asked to deal with devotees in a polite manner,” he said.
The Puri SP said barricades have been erected outside the temple for the smooth and disciplined movement of devotees, who will gather in large numbers near the main entrance of the shrine to catch a glimpse of the divine bathing ritual of the deities. On the occasion of Debasnan Purnima, the sibling deities — Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra — would be given a ceremonial bath on the Snan Mandap (bathing platform) and would appear in Gajanan Besha (elephant attire) in the evening.
