UP: Devotees flock to Lolark Kund for holy dip, thousand police personnel deployed for security

Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) [India], August 29 (ANI): People gathered in large numbers to take a holy dip in Lolark Kund on Friday in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi, on the occasion of the sixth day of the Hindu month of Bhadrapad.
According to the police, four to five lakh devotees have taken the holy dip in the Lolark Kund.
"Arrangements for drinking water and toilets have also been made. It is estimated that 4-5 lakh people have taken the dip in the Kund today," Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Crime, Varanasi, Saravanan Thangamani, said.
More than a thousand police personnel, along with the teams of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Jal Police, have been deployed for the safety and security of the devotees.
DCP Saravanan Thangamani told ANI, "People have come from various districts and states to take a holy dip on the occasion of the Lolark Chhath. To ensure the security of the devotees, more than a thousand police officers have been deployed in two shifts, along with a company of the PAC. To ensure the safety inside the Kund, NDRF and Jal Police have been deployed."
He added that the Quick Response Teams of UP Police, ambulances and medical teams have also been deployed.
"Entry and exit points are different to ensure the smooth movement of the gathering. Barricades have been put up in a two-kilometre radius of the Tulsi gate, which is also the main gate. Our drone team is conducting continuous surveillance. Our QRTs, ambulance and medical teams are also deployed," the police official said.
Lolark Chhath is organised on the Shashthi Tithi of Bhadrapada Shukla Paksha, in which devotees take a dip in this pond and worship the Sun, known as Lord Surya.
Lolark Kund is a holy pond located near Tulsi Ghat in Varanasi, dedicated to Lord Surya. (ANI)