Gujarat gives nod for 45th Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath in Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], June 24 (ANI): The Gujarat government has given its nod for the 145th rath yatra of Lord Jagannath in Ahmedabad on July 1 with restricted participation and strict adherence to COVID-19 protocols and guidelines.
In this regard, Ahmedabad Police Commissioner Sanjay Shrivastava held a press conference and given information about the security arrangements.
He said that the police would announce a proper schedule of security arrangements to maintain law and order. "More than 25,000 police personnel with high technology will be deployed. SRP and Chetak commandos, including paramilitary, will also be deployed in the area to manage the procession," he said.
The police official said that senior and experienced police officers will be used for reconnaissance. "Drones will also be used. Security is still being monitored by drones," he said.
The police commissioner said that vigilance is being kept on social media for the last two months to ensure that no objectionable posts are posted on social media by anti-social elements.
In 2020, only a symbolic rath yatra was organised in the premises of the Lord Jagannath temple in the Jamalpur area here after the Gujarat High Court denied permission for the usual public procession in the wake of the pandemic.
Traditionally, the procession, led by chariots, would start early at around 7 am from the 400-year-old temple and return by 8 pm.
Meanwhile, Gujarat reported 416 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, taking the overall tally to 12,28,909, while no fresh death due to the infection was registered in the state, said the Health Department. (ANI)