Bhubaneswar, November 6: Jajpur Police has put in place elaborate security and traffic management arrangements across the district to ensure the peaceful and orderly celebration of Kali Puja and the subsequent idol immersion processions.

Dr. Satyajit Naik, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Central Range, Cuttack, has reviewed the overall security preparedness and directed officers to remain vigilant and ensure effective law-and-order management throughout the festive period.

Kali Puja will be celebrated from November 7 to 15, 2026, while idol immersion processions are scheduled to take place on November 16 in Jajpur Town and on November 17 and 18 in the Jajpur Road area.

As many as119 Puja pandals have been set up across the district, including 42 in Jajpur Town and 21 in Jajpur Road. The festivities will also feature 10 Silver Medhas, five Gold Medhas and one Brass Medha. With a large number of devotees and visitors expected from within and outside the district, police have accorded priority to crowd management, public safety, prevention of anti-social activities and maintenance of communal harmony.

Dr. Naik is reviewing the security arrangements in coordination with Jajpur Superintendent of Police Shri Yash Pratap Shrimal and other senior police officers. The review covers police deployment, traffic regulation, crowd control, surveillance, security at Puja pandals and the smooth conduct of immersion processions. Senior officers have been directed to closely supervise arrangements and ensure an immediate response to any untoward incident.

Under the security plan,22 platoons of police force and 400 Home Guards will be deployed at strategic locations across the district. The deployment will also include 85 Sub-Inspectors and Assistant Sub-Inspectors, 25 Inspectors, 10 Deputy Superintendents of Police and three Additional Superintendents of Police to ensure effective supervision and coordination.

In addition, 15 Police Aid Posts (9+6) will operate at important locations to provide public assistance and facilitate a prompt police response. Ten mobile checking teams and eight four-wheeler patrol teams will remain on duty to strengthen field surveillance, conduct regular checks and respond swiftly to emergencies.

Technology-based surveillance will form an important component of the security arrangements. A total of 70 CCTV cameras (48+22)will be used for round-the-clock monitoring of major Puja pandals, congregation points and other sensitive locations. Four drones (2+2) will also be deployed for aerial surveillance, particularly at vulnerable spots and during immersion processions. Dedicated monitoring teams will coordinate with field personnel to assess the situation in real time and facilitate timely intervention whenever required.

Jajpur Police has also initiated comprehensive preventive and enforcement measures to maintain law and order during the celebrations. Special drives will be conducted to check the illegal possession, transportation and trade of firearms, ammunition and explosives. Participants in immersion processions carrying weapons, lathis or objectionable materials will remain under close surveillance.

To ensure the unobstructed movement of immersion processions, roadside obstructions such as bricks, boulders and construction materials will be removed along designated routes. Habitual offenders, anti-social elements and individuals likely to disturb public peace will be kept under surveillance, with appropriate preventive legal action to be taken wherever necessary. Special enforcement drives will also target illicit liquor and drug trafficking.

The immersion processions will be conducted in accordance with applicable legal provisions, including the relevant provisions of the Police Act and regulations governing the use of loudspeakers and fireworks. Special attention will be given to religiously sensitive locations and areas where multiple procession groups may assemble, with the objective of preventing any disturbance and safeguarding communal harmony.

Police will maintain close coordination with Puja Committees, the local administration and volunteers to ensure adequate security at all pandals, including the protection of idols and valuable ornaments throughout the festive period.

Special traffic management measures will also be enforced to prevent congestion and ensure the smooth movement of vehicles, particularly during immersion processions. Police personnel will be deployed at major intersections, vulnerable road stretches and designated immersion routes to regulate traffic and minimise inconvenience to the public.

Meanwhile, social media platforms and the activities of rumour-mongers will be closely monitored to prevent the circulation of false, misleading or provocative information that could disturb public peace and communal harmony.

Jajpur Police has appealed to citizens, Puja Committees and organisers to extend their full cooperation in maintaining peace, harmony and public order. People have been urged to comply with traffic regulations, refrain from spreading rumours or unverified information, avoid provocative activities and immediately inform the nearest police station about any suspicious activity or potential law-and-order concern.

Police personnel deployed for the festival have also been instructed to remain courteous, accessible and helpful to devotees and the general public while discharging their duties.