Puri, June 27 - Lakhs of devotees thronged the seaside pilgrimage site of Puri on Friday for the annual Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath, for which the Odisha government has made elaborate arrangements. Police sources said that about one lakh people had reached Puri by Thursday evening and this number has increased many times this morning. They said that lakhs of devotees from the country and abroad are expected to participate in the event.
"With the grace of Mahaprabhu (Lord Jagannath), we are fully prepared to conduct a smooth Rath Yatra on Friday. We are getting full support and cooperation from the devotees. All arrangements have been made to make this grand event a success."
Meanwhile, heavy security has been provided to the city with the deployment of about 10,000 security personnel, including eight companies of the Central Armed Police Forces.
Odisha DGP YB Khurania said that for the first time, an integrated command and control centre has been opened in Puri to keep a close watch on the entire festival. Over 275 AI-enabled CCTV cameras have been installed for surveillance in Puri and on the roads leading to Konark, 35 km away and famous for the 13th century Sun Temple. The DGP said that National Security Guard (NSG) snipers will take up positions on rooftops along the Grand Road in front of the temple.