300 officers, 55 police platoons for Prez visit

BHUBANESWAR: At least 55 platoons of police and 300 officers will provide security to President Droupadi Murmu during her two-day visit to the state, starting Thursday.
"We have planned adequate security measures for the president. The duty-bound officers have been briefed about their responsibilities. We will conduct a motorcade or convoy rehearsal along the president's proposed travel routes on Wednesday," police commissioner Saumendra Priyadarshi said after reviewing security arrangements on Tuesday.
Murmu, who belongs to Mayurbhanj district, would be visiting her home state for the first time after becoming the president of India in July. As per the itinerary, Murmu, after landing at Bhubaneswar airport, will visit Jagannath Temple in Puri and would then garland the statue of Utkalamani Gopabandhu Dass at Singhadwar.
Puri district collector Samarth Verma and SP Kanwar Vishal Singh already held a preparatory meeting to ensure the president's smooth darshan at the 12th century shrine. She will be granted access to the temple's sanctum sanctorum to offer prayers to the sibling deities. The temple will remain closed for devotees during her scheduled visit, which will be around noon.
Murmu's last visit to Jagannath Temple was on January 12, 2020 when she was the governor of Jharkhand. "We have also requested the Puri district administration to seek permission from Rashtrapati Bhavan to enable the president to have mahaprasad inside the temple. Since she is from Odisha, she understands the significance of eating mahaprasad at the shrine," said Baidyanath Mohapatra, a servitor who accompanied Murmu to the temple and facilitated her darshan several times in the past.