Puri: For the tourists at Puri, the sight of hundreds of women personnel guarding the holy town is a sight to behold.

More than 300 women officers of Odisha police have been deployed at various locations in and around Puri for the festival. These officers hailing from various districts are on duty 16 hours a day.

"Wherever you go, you can see women officers taking care of various arrangements. While some can be spotted at the beach, others can be seen near the temple. As a woman, I feel really proud to see them," said Anshita Banerjee, a tourist from Howrah in Bengal.

For officers, being deployed at Puri during the festival is a huge blessing. Arati Kumar Parida, who has come from Cuttack, says: "One does not get such chances always. I am here during the festival for the second consecutive year I admit it gives me a very fulfilling feeling."

The sub-inspector who is posted at the beach will be at Puri till suna besha, the golden attire of the Trinity.

"Hundreds of women attend the festival and whenever they face any issue they expect our support. We try our best to solve the problems and if it is not under our control, we ensure that we help them reach out to the administration," said Ajahamani Tudu, an officer from Mayurbhanj.

She said the lack of toilet facilities and indecent behaviour at crowded places were the most common problems women face. The officers work for two shifts a day, including at night.

Around 300 officers from the Odisha Swift Action Force, a special unit of Odisha Police are deployed at sensitive locations during major events across the state.

Sabitri, one of the officers, said: "Our job is crowd management and we are to make sure that citizens, especially women, do not get hurt or are misbehaved with. At times, situations turn ugly and quick action is needed."

"They are so swift. I saw one of the officers carrying a very elderly man on her shoulders to help him enter the temple premises. It was so touching," said Manoj Aggarwal, a devotee from Jaipur in Rajasthan. A number of women volunteers belonging to social organisations were also seen serving the people by providing glucose water, assisting during medial emergencies and sprinkling water on the tourists.