Security in Puri has been intensified ahead of the Rath Yatra, with National Security Guard (NSG) snipers on rooftops and AI cameras keeping constant vigil across the town.
The enhanced security arrangements follow revelations that Haryana-based YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra had captured videos and photos in and around the Shree Jagannath Temple during her visit. Police suspect the photographs and footages may have been shared with handlers in Pakistan.
Ahead of the festival on Friday, Odisha police also warned tourists of fraud related to online hotel bookings in Puri, Bhubaneswar and Cuttack.
In a first, NSG snipers have been deployed on rooftops across Puri. More than 10,000 personnel and 200 platoons of police have been deployed in Puri, with heightened vigil along the coast to prevent any terror threat via sea routes. Over 10 lakh people are expected to gather in the temple town on the day of the Rath Yatra.
The entire city is under CCTV coverage, with AI-enabled cameras and anti-drone technology placed at sensitive locations. Bomb disposal units, anti-terrorist squads and special tactical forces are positioned at strategic sites.
“Odisha police is fully prepared for the Rath Yatra. To ensure a safe and peaceful celebration, round-the-clock coastal patrolling and strict vigilance by marine police are under way. Every corner is under watch, safety is our top priority,” the state police said in a post on X.
Director-general of police Y.B. Khurania said an integrated command-and-control system had been established for the first time. “Live feeds from around 275 AI-enabled CCTVs, from Uttara Square to Puri town and from Puri to Konark, will be monitored through this system,” he said.
The Indian Coast Guard said that it had intensified surveillance along the Puri coast following a requisition from the Odisha government. A senior coast guard officer told The Telegraph: “The entire coastline is under our watch.”
Puri police has also issued a traffic advisory for devotees. The town will remain on high alert for 13 days starting Thursday, the day of “Naba Jauban”. The Rath Yatra, featuring the pulling of the chariots, will be held on Friday. The deities are scheduled to return to the main shrine on July 8.
The Odisha crime branch on Wednesday issued a public alert about a spike in online hotel booking scams. “Fraudsters create fake websites and social media pages that appear genuine, offering cheap rates, urgent deals and guaranteed bookings. They demand full payment via UPI, wallets or bank transfers, and provide fake customer care numbers and receipts,” the advisory said.
The public has been advised to use only verified or official tourism portals, cross-check contact numbers, avoid full advance payments, and opt for secure payment gateways instead of direct UPI or wallet transfers.
