Tight security for President Droupadi Murmu’s 3-day Mayurbhanj visit

BARIPADA:  The Mayurbhanj administration has made elaborate security arrangements ahead of President Droupadi Murmu’s visit to her native district on Thursday. On Wednesday, mock drills were held in Rairangpur town and Pahadpur in Badampahar under the supervision of Eastern Range IG Himanshu Lal and Mayurbhanj SP Rishikesh D Khilari. 

Speaking to mediapersons, Lal said a multi-layer security arrangement will be put in place for the President during her three-day visit to the district. Senior police officers have been instructed to supervise the security arrangements.

Khilari said over 50 platoons of police force, newly-appointed home guards and constables along with 400 senior officers will be deployed at important junctions. Official sources said President Murmu will reach Badampahar helipad in an IAF helicopter at around 10.15 am on May 4. She will visit her in-law’s village Pahadpur and attend an event in SLS Residential School before making night halt at the inspection bungalow in Rairangpur.

Murmu had converted her in-law’s ancestral house into a residential school in memory of her husband Shyma Charan Murmu and two sons Laxman Murmu and Sipun Murmu. On May 5, the President will visit Pandit Raghunath Murmu’s village Dandbosh and Similipal National Park. She will spend the night at a guesthouse in Baripada.

The next day, Murmu will attend the convocation ceremony of Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanjadeo (MSCB) University, Baripada. She will leave the campus at 12.15 pm and fly back to the National Capital.
Meanwhile, preparations are underway at MSCB University in full swing for Murmu’s visit. The President will attend the 12th convocation ceremony of the university and deliver the convocation address.  

University officials said apart from the President, Odisha Governor Prof Ganeshi Lal, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan will also attend the convocation ceremony.