Ahmedabad: Flying men for Rath Yatra security?

AHMEDABAD: Is it a plane? Is it a bird? No, it is a flying man over the Rath Yatra. These could well be the words of devotees of Lord Jagannath during the annual chariot procession on July 1. This is because city police are considering the use of an unusual air surveillance device by cops or other trained persons, a gyrocopter, during the 145th Rath Yatra in the city.
Sources in city police said the commissioner proposed using gyrocopters as a surveillance tool this Rath Yatra. However, this idea seems quite complicated because police need trained men to use gyrocopters. Also, the narrow lanes in the walled city could prove a challenge for the use of this technology, sources in the police said.
“When we were having a security review meeting for the Rath Yatra, the city police commissioner came up with an idea which is yet to be sanctioned,” said a police officer.
The city will witness a full fledged Rath Yatra this year after two years. In 2020, the Rath Yatra procession was cancelled at the high court’s direction. In 2021, only the procession was carried out without the participation of devotees.
City police will also install GPS devices not only on the vehicles in the Rath Yatra but also on the elephants in the procession.
Police will also have body-worn cameras and drone surveillance will be done.
City police on June 5 conducted a foot patrol on the route of the yatra.