Gujarat: Over 22,000 personnel deployed for Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra

Ahmedabad: The Gujarat government has deployed more than 22,000 security personnel for the 147th Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath which will be taken out in Ahmedabad on July 7.

On Saturday, the Ahmedabad Police Commissioner G.S. Malik also held a review meeting with around 600 police officers to discuss security measures. He emphasised the need for extra caution in crowd control, citing the recent stampede in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, which resulted in 121 fatalities.

The entire 16-kilometre route of the Rath Yatra will be monitored with CCTV cameras. Police have conducted rehearsals along the route and traffic diversions have been implemented at several points for safety. Drone cameras will also be used for surveillance.

On July 7, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel will initiate the ceremonial activities at 7:00 AM, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, along with his family, will attend the Mangala Aarti in the morning. The procession will continue throughout the day, concluding at the main temple in the evening.

Various cities across Gujarat also celebrate Rath Yatras, but Ahmedabad's event is second only to Puri's in scale, attracting a large number of saints, devotees, and participants.