More than 31,000 police, drones to guard Rath Yatra in Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad, Jul 12 (PTI) Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel reviewed security and civic preparedness for the 149th Jagannath Rath Yatra, which will see the deployment of more than 31,000 police personnel and 65 drones in the city on July 16. Chairing a high-level review meeting in Gandhinagar on Saturday, Patel directed officials to ensure the safe passage of over 230 processions statewide. The annual Rath Yatra — one of Gujarat’s largest religious events — is set to pass through several communally sensitive localities in the city, including Jamalpur, Kalupur, Shahpur, and Dariyapur. Patel instructed the police department to ensure that all Rath Yatras, including six small ones in Ahmedabad, are conducted in a secure environment and that devotees participate without any untoward incidents, an official release stated. He also directed the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) to ensure that people do not gather on or near dilapidated buildings and structures along the route to watch the procession. More than 31,000 police personnel will be deployed for security during the event in the city, Ahmedabad Police Commissioner Anupam Singh Gehlot said. According to the release, the city police will monitor the procession from more than 240 rooftop observation points, through 65 drones and over 2,800 body-worn cameras as part of a "zero-risk approach". The AMC will also deploy 15 medical officers, 100 health personnel, 31 fire vehicles and 237 fire personnel during the event. The 16-km-long procession will comprise 101 trucks, 30 "akhadas" and 18 "bhajan mandalis", the release said. To maintain communal harmony and ensure peaceful conduct of the procession, the Ahmedabad police held 69 meetings of the peace committee, 79 of the mohalla committees and around 178 meetings with religious leaders of various communities ahead of the event, it said. The police also organised blood donation camps, night cricket and volleyball matches, Lok Dayro programmes and interactive sessions with youth as part of confidence-building and community outreach initiatives, the release stated. PTI KVM PD ARU