BHUBANESWAR: The Puri police on Tuesday finalised the security arrangements for Thursday’s Debasnan Purnima.
The police have divided Puri into six zones and at least 35 platoons will be on guard for smooth conduct of the festival before Rath Yatra.
Like last year, the government has banned congregation of devotees in and around Jagannath Temple during Debasnan Purnima in view of the Covid pandemic.
Several places in Puri town, including the temple’s periphery will be under curfew from 10 pm on Wednesday till 2 am on Friday to prevent congregation of devotees.
“The administration will promulgate prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC around the temple to prevent gathering of people.
The government will facilitate live telecast of the festival through Doordarshan.
Devotees can watch the festival live on their TV screens.
We appeal to the people to stay indoors and do not violate prohibitory orders,” Puri superintendent of police Kanwar Vishal Singh said.
He said a three-layer security cordon will be put in place for the smooth movement of authorized servitors into the temple and to prevent devotees from coming near the shrine.
“We will install 15 CCTV cameras outside the temple for close surveillance.
Five additional superintendents of police, 23 deputy superintendents of police, 41 inspectors and 150 officers have been assigned for Snan Yatra duty,” Singh added.
Special police force and mobile patrolling units have been formed to dissuade gatherings in the prohibited areas.
Armed police will also be positioned on rooftops around the temple, a source said.
Temple officials said rituals of Debasnan Purnima will be performed by a limited number of servitors who have tested negative for Covid-19.
The idols of the deities are scheduled to be brought out from the sanctum sanctorum to the bathing altar inside the temple in the early hours (pre-dawn) of Thursday.
The deities will be given a ceremonial bath on Snan Mandap (bathing altar) and later sport dazzling elephant attire, marking Hati Besha.