ROURKELA: An attractive procession by various ‘akhada’ committees of Rourkela city was taken out on Monday even as Ram Navami celebrations concluded amid elaborate security arrangements.
As many as nine ‘akhada’ committees took out the procession and each spent lakhs to outdo each other. Tableaux designed on attractive themes were taken out during the procession on Rourkela main road. A large number of people thronged the main road to witness the procession. The processions were marked by a demonstration of stick manoeuvring and martial arts in a playful way. Rourkela SP Himanshu Lal flagged off the procession at the Bisra Square which culminated at Uditnagar before immersion of the idols of Lord Hanuman in the Brahmani.
Elaborate security arrangements were made with deployment of 12 platoons of force.
For security concerns, the procession at the communally sensitive neighbouring town of Rajgangpur was taken out on Sunday amid impressive display of martial arts. Sundargarh Collector Rupa Roshan Sahu, DIG (western) Y K Jethwa and Sundargarh S P Sanjeev Arora were present.