Bhubaneswar: Puri Police have launched a special enforcement drive ahead of the annual Rath Yatra, arresting 23 people involved in anti-social and criminal activities and registering eight cases in the last 24 hours as part of heightened security arrangements in the pilgrim town, officials said on Monday.
Puri Superintendent of Police Prateek Singh said the police force is fully prepared for the upcoming Rath Yatra and is focused on making Puri a safe and crime-free city by taking strict action against organised crime, habitual offenders, and anti-social elements.
“As part of our preparedness for Rath Yatra, a special drive has been launched across Puri to ensure law and order. Our aim is to provide a safe environment for devotees and residents,” the SP said while briefing the media.
During the last 24 hours, police registered eight cases across different police stations under the Puri subdivision. In the operation, 23 persons involved in extortion, intimidation, snatching, and other criminal activities were arrested. Several of those arrested reportedly have previous criminal records.
As part of the “Clean City Drive,” police also conducted coordinated raids across multiple areas, during which they seized three swords, four knives, iron rods, Corex bottles, and more than 7,500 litres of liquor.
In a separate case at Singhadwar Police Station, action was taken against individuals accused of cheating devotees by luring them with false promises of facilitating easy darshan of Lord Jagannath and his siblings in exchange for money.
The SP said intelligence inputs had indicated the movement and gathering of anti-social elements in parts of the town, prompting intensified checks, raids, and preventive action across police stations.
He further informed that over 300 anti-social elements have been arrested in the district so far this year. In narcotics-related cases, 14 brown sugar cases have been registered with 28 arrests, while 19 Corex-related cases have led to 29 arrests and seizure of around 1,600 bottles. In addition, 623 drunken driving cases and around 350 liquor-related cases have been registered during routine enforcement drives.
The police have stated that the special drive will continue in the coming days, with all police stations instructed to maintain close coordination to ensure the smooth conduct of the Rath Yatra.
“The objective is to ensure a peaceful, safe, and secure Rath Yatra for all devotees,” SP Prateek Singh said.