Puri cops conduct anti-terror drills ahead of Rath Yatra
Bhubaneswar: Two weeks ahead of Rath Yatra, which will draw lakhs of pilgrims, Puri police carried out mock drills on Friday at multiple locations to enhance preparedness against potential terrorist threats.
Given the recent Indo-Pak tensions and the govt's invitation to VVIPs, including the President, Prime Minister, Union ministers and chief ministers from NDA-ruled states to Rath Yatra, this year's festival will witness heightened security measures.
"With lakhs of devotees expected to attend this year's Rath Yatra, ensuring foolproof security is our top priority. The simulation exercises help us identify gaps in our response mechanism and improve coordination among different security agencies," Vinit Agrawal, SP of Puri, said.
The counter-terrorism mock drills were conducted at the Puri railway station and near the Jagannath Temple to evaluate how effectively rescue agencies can respond during emergencies.
Police officers said the aim is to achieve smooth coordination between various response agencies to eliminate any possibility of uncertainty and chaos during actual emergencies.
"Police, fire service, Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force, National Disaster Response Force, healthcare professionals, and anti-terrorist squad (ATS) of the special tactical group took part in the mock drills," Agrawal said.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Forget Furosemide, Use This Household Item To Help Drain Edema Fluid
WellnessGuide
Learn more
Undo
The simulation exercises were conducted three days after Odisha police deployed a dedicated anti-terrorist squad near the shrine for smooth conduct of Rath Yatra. The ATS consists of urban warfare-trained commandos from Odisha police's special tactical group.
Police recently positioned Rakshak, an armoured vehicle with bullet-proof capabilities, outside the Jagannath Temple. The vehicle is designed to resist intense artillery fire and explosive devices.
Follow more information on
Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here
. Get
real-time live updates
on rescue operations and check
full list of passengers onboard AI 171
.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
35 minutes ago
- Time of India
Crude jitters, not crisis: Oil firms eye margin hit, but rule out supply shock amid Israel-Iran tensions
Indian oil companies expect their profit margins to shrink due to rising crude prices but do not anticipate a major supply crisis after the Israel-Iran military conflict caused a sharp 9% spike in oil prices on Friday, reported TOI. Benchmark Brent crude briefly surged to $78.50 a barrel before settling at $75.55- $6.19 above the previous close- marking the sharpest single-day swing since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. After holding a review meeting with petroleum secretary Pankaj Jain and top officials of state-run oil refiners and retailers, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said India has sufficient energy reserves. 'India's energy strategy is shaped by successfully navigating the trilemma of energy availability, affordability and sustainability under the dynamic leadership of PM Narendra Modi,' he posted on X. India consumes between 4.5 and 5 million barrels of oil per day. The country has emergency reserves of 5 million tonnes- about 37 million barrels- while refiners and oil firms hold additional stocks for 40–45 days. A significant volume of crude is also in transit, and fuel is stored across refineries and depots nationwide. Despite this preparedness, India relies on imports for over 80% of its oil and half of its gas requirements. Around 50% of these imports pass through the Hormuz Strait , a vital chokepoint handling nearly 20% of global seaborne oil flows. 'India doesn't buy any oil from Iran. So there's no worry on that count,' a senior oil company executive said, speaking on condition of anonymity. 'As far as blocking Hormuz Strait is concerned, it is extremely unlikely. It has never happened before, even during earlier wars. Blocking Hormuz will draw in others in the region as both outbound crude and inbound refined products will halt. Iran itself will suffer.' According to a statement by the Iranian government, the country's refineries and fuel depots under the National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company have not sustained any damage and are operating normally. The primary concern for oil companies is declining profitability. 'We are sure to end up taking a hit on profitability as under-recoveries return if oil remains elevated for an extended period,' another executive said. While some believe the market has already absorbed the geopolitical risk—as evident from the fallback in crude prices—most agree that insurance premiums will rise due to increased threat perception and the likelihood of vessels avoiding conflict-prone waters. 'Iran may not block Hormuz. But Teheran-backed rebels could target vessels. Even in such cases, interruptions of a cargo or two can easily be bridged from elsewhere as India has a diversified pallate,' the first executive added. Industry insiders said that margins on petrol and diesel sales are in single digits, while under-recoveries on domestic LPG cylinders have reached Rs 160–170. If crude remains costly, imported LNG- priced against Brent- will also see a rise in cost.
NDTV
37 minutes ago
- NDTV
Vijay Rupani Cancelled London Ticket Twice, June 12 Was Not His 1st Choice
New Delhi: Former Gujarat Chief Minister, Vijay Rupani, was among the 242 people on board the doomed Air India 787-8 Dreamliner, which crashed in Ahmedabad on June 12. Only one survived, and 241 people died, including the former Chief Minister. But, flying to London on June 12 to meet his wife and daughter was not Mr Rupani's first choice. The former chief minister first booked his ticket for May 19 on flight AI171 and intended to fly back to India on June 25. With a change in plans, Mr Rupani cancelled his ticket for May 19 and decided to fly on June 5. Read more: Gujarat Ex Chief Minister Vijay Rupani Among 241 Killed In Air India Crash There was another change. The former Chief Minister cancelled his second ticket too and booked seat number 2D on flight AI 171 for June 12, which crashed in less than a minute after taking off. CCTV footage from the runway showed the aircraft was airborne for only 32 seconds before crashing into the hostel building of BJ Medical College, which is close to the airport. A huge fireball followed the crash, damaging the hostel building. Several casualties were reported at the medical college, too. '1206' And Mr Rupani's Personal Connect The number '1206' stood for good fortune for Mr Rupani, who used it on his car, scooter and official number plate of his vehicle as Chief Minister. He considered it lucky for him until it wasn't. The former Chief Minister died on June 12 (12/06) in the crash. 12/06, according to friends, family, and party colleagues, was a personal emblem for Mr Rupani. Vijay Rupani's Political Life Mr Rupani served as Gujarat's 16th Chief Minister from August 2016 to September 2021. Born in Rangoon (now Yangon), Burma, in 1956, his family migrated to Rajkot in the 1960s following political instability in Southeast Asia. He began his political career as a student activist and became a municipal corporator in Rajkot in 1987. Over the next three decades, he held a range of administrative and legislative roles, including as minister for transport, water supply, and labour. He was a member of the Rajya Sabha from 2006 to 2012. In 2014, he was appointed as a minister in the Gujarat government, where he served till 2016, followed by taking over as the Chief Minister in the same year, a position he held till 2021 before resigning ahead of the assembly elections as part of the BJP's leadership reset. Mr Rupani remained active in organisational affairs. He held a senior advisory role within the party's Gujarat unit and was frequently consulted on matters related to state policy and elections.
Time of India
37 minutes ago
- Time of India
Cyprus, Canada and Croatia: PM Modi's first foreign visit since Operation Sindoor
Prime Minister Narendra Modi (File photo) Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to embark on an official visit to Cyprus, Canada, and Croatia from June 15 to 19, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) announced on Saturday. According to the MEA, PM Modi will begin his trip in Cyprus on June 15-16, then travel to Kananaskis, Canada, on June 16-17 to participate in the G-7 Summit, before concluding with an official visit to Croatia on June 18. "At the invitation of the President of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, PM Modi will pay an official visit to Cyprus June 15-16. This will be the first visit of an Indian Prime Minister to Cyprus in over two decades. While in Nicosia, the Prime Minister will hold talks with President Christodoulides and address business leaders in Limassol," the MEA said. The visit is expected to reaffirm the two nations' shared commitment to strengthening bilateral ties and boosting India's engagement with the Mediterranean region and the European Union. In the second leg of the tour, PM Modi will head to Canada to participate in the G-7 Summit at the invitation of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. "This would be PM Modi's 6th consecutive participation in the G-7 Summit," the MEA stated. At the summit, the Prime Minister will join discussions with G-7 leaders, outreach countries, and heads of international organisations on pressing global issues, including energy security, technology, innovation, the AI-energy nexus, and Quantum-related topics. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like GMC's New Sierra Is Turning Heads (See Prices) FrequentSearches | Search Ads Learn More Undo PM Modi is also scheduled to hold a series of bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the summit. The final stop of his tour will be Croatia, where PM Modi will pay an official visit on June 18 at the invitation of Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic. This will mark the first-ever visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Croatia, described by the MEA as a significant milestone in India-Croatia relations. During his stay, PM Modi will hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Plenkovic and meet Croatian President Zoran Milanovic. The visit is expected to further strengthen India's ties with its partners in the European Union.
