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Key Points

Odisha Police led a multi-agency mock drill near Puri's Jagannath Temple to test emergency preparedness. The exercise involved 11 agencies focusing on anti-terror coordination. This comes after Puri Police busted an arms smuggling syndicate, arresting six and seizing illegal firearms. Authorities continue investigating the network under new organized crime laws.

Key Points: Odisha Police Conduct Multi-Agency Mock Drill Near Jagannath Temple

  • Multi-agency mock drill tests emergency response near Jagannath Temple
  • 11 agencies participate in anti-terror coordination exercise
  • Puri Police dismantle arms smuggling syndicate, arrest six
  • Illegal firearms and ammunition seized in special operation
2 min read

Odisha: Multi-agency mock drill conducted near Jagannath Temple to test emergency readiness

Odisha Police and 11 agencies test emergency readiness near Puri's Jagannath Temple in a high-stakes mock drill following arms smuggling crackdown.

"It was an intervention exercise to assess preparedness for anti-terrorist action – Vineet Agarwal, Puri SP"

Puri, June 14

A multi-agency mock drill was conducted on Friday at Dharamshala in front of Shri Jagannath Temple in Puri to assess preparedness and coordination for any emergency.

Puri Superintendent of Police (SP) Vineet Agarwal said that a multi-agency mock drill was conducted near the Shri Jagannath Temple to evaluate the readiness and coordination of security forces in handling emergencies. He further added that 11 agencies participated in the anti-terror intervention exercise.

Speaking to reporters, Vineet Agarwal said, "...It was an intervention exercise to assess the preparedness of our teams for anti-terrorist intervention. It was a multi-agency mock drill to ensure coordination among the various agencies. 11 agencies participated in this event..."

Earlier, in a significant crackdown, the Puri Police dismantled an arms smuggling and supply syndicate, arresting six men in a special operation led by the Superintendent of Police, Puri, Puri Police said in a statement.

The operation was carried out after receiving a specific tip-off about the illegal activities. A team of Puri Police was tasked with tracking down the arms suppliers, and after months of surveillance and reconnaissance, they identified a key supply network led by the notorious anti-social and arms dealer, Denga Muna, also known as Ramesh Parida.

The accused have been identified as Ramesh Parida (29 years), Babu Das (24), Gudu Panda, Kanha, also known as Harichandan Das (20 years), Patita Behera (25 years) and Chittaranjan Purohita.

Puri Police have recovered six country-made pistols (mouser) with magazines, 20 numbers of ammunition, three mobile handsets and cash of Rs 2,100.

The special drive resulted in the arrest of six accused individuals, including members of the organised crime syndicate, and the seizure of six illegal firearms and 20 live ammunition rounds from the old DAG office building at Urban Haat.

Further investigation is underway to identify the full network of backwards and forward linkages related to the smuggling operation. Under the new provisions in criminal laws, organised crime is a recent addition, and therefore, the accused are being booked under Section 111 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (Organised Crime), the Arms Act, and other relevant sections.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya M.
Good initiative by Puri police! With Rath Yatra coming soon, such preparedness drills are crucial for devotees' safety. Lord Jagannath's temple must have top-notch security. Hope they conduct more such drills across Odisha's major pilgrimage sites. 🙏
A
Amit K.
While the mock drill is commendable, I wonder why only 6 pistols were recovered after months of surveillance? Seems like a small catch for such a big operation. Our police need better intelligence gathering to dismantle entire networks, not just small players.
S
Sanjay R.
As someone who visits Puri every year, this news gives me confidence. The temple area is always crowded and vulnerable. Coordinated efforts between 11 agencies shows serious intent. Jai Jagannath! 🚩
M
Meena T.
The arms smuggling racket is worrying. ₹2100 cash seizure seems insignificant though - where's the main funding coming from? Police should track money trails better. Otherwise these small arrests won't stop the bigger problem.
R
Rahul P.
Good job using Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita provisions! Organized crime needs harsh punishment. Hope this sends strong message to anti-social elements targeting our holy places. More power to Odisha Police!
N
Nandini G.
The mock drill timing is perfect before tourist season. But authorities should also focus on basic facilities - better crowd management, clean drinking water, and medical aid points near temple. Security + amenities = complete devotee safety.

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