Bhubaneswar: Anticipating a turnout of lakhs of devotees for the Bahuda Yatra — the return car festival — at Puri on Friday, chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday directed Odisha police to enforce uncompromising crowd control and security measures. The govt remains on edge after the July 16 Rath Yatra tragedy, when two devotees died in a crowd surge.“No compromise will be made on law and order or security. Police have been asked to prioritise effective crowd management and ensure uninterrupted information flow for devotees,” the chief minister’s office (CMO) said after Majhi’s review meeting.Majhi advised adoption of advanced monitoring tools to gauge the crowd density, stressing that real‑time CCTV inputs relayed through the integrated command and control system would help resolve congestion swiftly.The CMO asserted that since Rath Yatra, all rituals have been conducted smoothly on the chariots and inside the Gundicha temple. “Despite heavy rains, heat and congestion, officials, staff and devotees remained steadfast,” the CMO said. Praising the servitors’ devotion, Majhi expressed gratitude and acknowledged the team spirit of officers and employees engaged in the service of Lord Jagannath.“In Puri, district and police administration continue round‑the‑clock supervision. Senior officials have overseen every stage—from pahandi and chariot pulling to Dakshini Moda of chariots and Adapa Mandap (Gundicha temple) darshan,” the chief minister’s office said.Majhi directed flawless arrangements for the Suna Besha on Saturday, when the deities will be adorned with gold ornaments, and for Niladri Bije on July 27, marking their return to the sanctum sanctorum.The CMO reiterated that the two deaths during Rath Yatra were due to health complications. Opposition parties, however, allege the fatalities were caused by a stampede, citing visuals and accounts of injured devotees.In a veiled attack on critics, law minister Prithiviraj Harichandan accused “a group of conspirators” of spreading misinformation against the govt. “Rath Yatra was conducted peacefully and smoothly. But some conspirators are indulging in false criticism in the name of Lord Jagannath,” Harichandan said.
