Top police officers of the state heaved a sigh of relief after the smooth departure of the crowd that had assembled at Gandhi Maidan to take part in the Swabhiman Rally organised by the ruling JDU, the Congress and the RJD on Sunday.

Patna senior superintendent of police (SSP) Manu Maharaaj said the rally passed off peacefully with no untoward incident reported from any part of the city during the past 24 hours. The venue of the rally and its adjoining areas was put on maximum alert in the wake of intelligence reports suggesting that some vested interests could create trouble.

However, a 96-year-old freedom fighter Vishnu Dev Yadav was denied permission to enter the Gandhi Maidan for security reasons.

Felicitated with the President's Award for social work, Yadav was found jostling with the crowd to have a closer view of the speakers present on the dais. A dejected Yadav later told The Telegraph: "I was prevented by some security personnel from entering the Maidan from its western side in the blistering heat. There are chances of elderly citizens like me suffering of suffocation and falling unconscious owing to the sultry weather. Finally, I decided to act upon their suggestion and I am going back."

The entire Gandhi Maidan had been divided into four sectors each headed by a magistrate and a senior police officer in the rank of superintendent of police (SP) or additional SP. In addition, 100 police officers inspectors and deputy superintendents of police and 4000 police personnel were deployed, Manu revealed.

Taking a lesson from the BJP-sponsored rally on October 27, 2013, the district authorities had set up six watchtowers and installed 23 closed-circuit television cameras (CCTVs) at different locations to keep a close watch on the participants. "We had also made provisions for video recording at all entry gates of the Maidan," the SSP said.

However, the police had a tough time dealing with the crowd after the rally was over and the leaders left the venue for their respective destinations. The SSP was seen regulating the traffic at different points to clear the bottleneck.

The director-general of police (DGP), P.K. Thakur, expressed satisfaction over the arrangements for the rally. He was monitoring the situation from his official residence despite today being a Sunday. "He (the DGP) remained in touch with the senior officers deployed at the venue till the safe departure of the leaders," an IPS officer said.