Ahmedabad, July 11: Security forces conducted a full-dress rehearsal today to instill confidence among the people ahead of the 125th annual `Rath Yatra` of lord Jagannath amid an unprecedented security blanket around the walled city on July 12. Additional Commissioner of Police (Zone-II) Satish Verma told reporters that nearly 15,000 securitymen had been deployed and would guard the entire `Rath Yatra` route through the old walled city, which has many ultra-sensitive areas. The security forces include nearly 10,000 members of city police, about 5,000 personnel from 40 companies of Para-military forces like the CRPF, BSF and RAF, besides mounted police and dog squads. In addition to these, the army has been kept in readiness and nearly 10,000 securitymen will guard areas outside the route of the Rath Yatra. An IAF helicopter is also likely to be brought in to keep vigil over the route. Joint Police Commissioner (crime) P P Pandey, who is in-charge of the three Raths (chariots) of lords Jagannath, Balram and their sister Subhadra, said armed commandos would protect the three chariots and sniffer dogs would be taken to the route prior to the inauguration of the Yatra by Chief Minister Narendra Modi at 0700 hrs.

Bureau Report