Bhubaneswar, November 3: The historic Lakshmi Puja celebrations and immersion procession in Kendrapara concluded peacefully, highlighting the importance of public cooperation, effective administration and people-friendly policing.

Dr Satyajit Naik, IPS, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Central Range, Cuttack, has expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the people of Kendrapara, district administration, police personnel, puja committees, volunteers and other stakeholders for their collective efforts in ensuring the smooth and peaceful conduct of the celebrations.

Kendrapara, famous for its grand Maa Gajalaxmi Puja, witnessed massive public participation and religious enthusiasm this year as the town celebrated the centenary of its Lakshmi Puja tradition. As many as 68 beautifully decorated puja medhas were installed in Kendrapara town, besides numerous celebrations in surrounding areas, attracting thousands of devotees.

Considering the large gatherings and the scale of the immersion procession and Melana, elaborate security arrangements were made through close coordination between the district administration and police. More than 30 platoons of police personnel were deployed to maintain law and order, regulate traffic and ensure the safety of devotees. Senior police officers, magistrates and other officials were stationed at strategic locations, while mobile patrols, CCTV surveillance and special traffic management measures were introduced to prevent any untoward incident.

IGP Dr Satyajit Naik and Kendrapara SP Siddharth Kataria personally supervised the security arrangements and monitored the situation throughout the celebrations. Their close coordination with the district administration and police personnel ensured the smooth movement of immersion processions and the peaceful participation of thousands of devotees.

A special moment during the celebrations was the participation of the two senior police officers in the immersion procession. Setting aside official protocol, IGP Dr Naik and SP Siddharth Kataria walked barefoot alongside devotees and joined them in carrying Maa Gajalaxmi's medha on their shoulders. Their gesture reflected their respect for local religious traditions and sentiments, while highlighting the human side of policing.

Dr Naik appreciated the discipline, patience and cooperation displayed by residents, puja committees, local organisations, volunteers and devotees throughout the festival. He also acknowledged the dedication of police personnel, magistrates, district administration officials and employees of various government departments who worked tirelessly to ensure public safety and maintain peace.

He observed that the successful management of a major religious festival involving thousands of people was possible because of the collective efforts of all stakeholders and the mutual trust between the public and the police.

Emphasising the importance of maintaining Odisha's cultural heritage, Dr Naik said festivals should be celebrated with discipline, mutual respect, brotherhood and social responsibility. He underlined that public cooperation remains the strongest foundation of effective policing and praised the people of Kendrapara for setting an exemplary standard by extending wholehearted support to the administration.

The peaceful conclusion of the Lakshmi Puja immersion also highlighted the significance of community-oriented policing, where the police go beyond maintaining law and order to connect with people, respect public sentiments and strengthen relationships with society.

From security planning and crowd management to traffic regulation and the final immersion procession, every stage of the celebrations required careful coordination, dedication and collective responsibility. The people of Kendrapara responded with maturity and cooperation, making the centenary celebrations memorable.

As devotees bid an emotional farewell to Maa Gajalaxmi, the peaceful conclusion of the festival conveyed a strong message of unity, harmony and mutual trust.

The successful Kendrapara Lakshmi Puja immersion will be remembered not only for its religious grandeur and devotion but also for the exemplary coordination between citizens, police and the administration — a fitting example of Duty, Devotion and Public Cooperation.