Jharkhand CM, Guv extend Rath Yatra greetings; heavy security in Ranchi for festival

Ranchi, Jul 16 (PTI) Jharkhand Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar and Chief Minister Hemant Soren extended greetings to the people of the state on the occasion of Rath Yatra on Thursday. Gangwar said he was praying to Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra for happiness, peace, prosperity, and good health of everyone. In a social media post, Soren said, "On the sacred occasion of the Shri Jagannath Rath Yatra, heartfelt greetings and salutations to all devotees and the people of the state." "May the grace of Lord Shri Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra bring happiness, peace, prosperity, and good health into the lives of all of you. May this sacred Rath Yatra continue to inspire us all to move forward on the path of service, harmony, faith, and humanity - that is my heartfelt," he added. Meanwhile, security has been stepped up across the state in view of the celebrations, officials said. Elaborate arrangements have been made in Ranchi for the Rath Yatra and the fair organised on the occasion at Dhurwa. Around 4,000 police personnel have been deputed, besides deployment of CCTV cameras and drones, they said. "The yatra route has been cleared of encroachments, and barricades have been erected on both sides of the road to facilitate the smooth movement of the chariots," City SP Paras Rana said. He said 160 personnel would join devotees in pulling the chariots, while three special teams had been constituted for crowd management. PTI SAN SOM