BHUBANESWAR: Odisha Police has deployed 100 platoons of force across the state to ensure Ram Navami celebrations on Sunday are peaceful.
Besides, 10 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) have been deployed in the sensitive areas. This includes three companies of CAPF each stationed at Sambalpur, Balasore and Bhadrak districts and one at Rajgangpur in Sundargarh.
While Ram Navami processions are carried out throughout the state, the festival is celebrated on a larger scale in Balasore, Bhadrak, Sambalpur, Sundargarh, Keonjhar, Kendrapara, Khurda, Cuttack and Nayagarh districts as well as places under Bhubaneswar and Cuttack urban police districts.
Crime Branch DG Vinaytosh Mishra is camping in Balasore district and he is also in charge of maintaining law and order in neighbouring Bhadrak district. Eastern Range DIG Satyajit Naik and DIG Crime Branch Battula Gangadhar have also been stationed at Bhadrak and Balasore, respectively.
At Sambalpur, police have set up checkposts equipped with CCTV cameras and LED screens at 25 sensitive places in the town to keep a hawk’s eye on the anti-social elements. Of the 25 places, LED screens measuring 6 x 4 ft have been installed atop 10 checkposts where people can view live footage of the crowd in surrounding areas.
Police asserted stringent action will be initiated against anyone found violating the procession licence rules which includes brandishing swords or other weapons. “If the rules of the procession licence are violated, then action will be taken against the wrongdoers accordingly. We have sufficient police force and any type of disharmony will not be allowed during the Ram Navami processions,” said ADG Law and Order, Sanjay Kumar. CCTV cameras and drones will be used to maintain surveillance in sensitive areas, he said.