Devotees throng Ram temples

Bhubaneswar: Thousands of devotees thronged Ram temples across the State on the occasion of Ram Navami on Sunday. Special rituals were performed at Jagannath temple in Puri. In Bhubaneswar, devotees gathered at Sri Ram temple, and processions were carried out under tight security arrangements. Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati also visited the Ram Mandir to participate in the celebrations. Ram Navami celebrations passed off peacefully in Odisha, barring a stray incident of stabbing at Soro in Balasore district. According to police, a man sustained injuries in his head and hands after being stabbed by a group of people following which he was admitted to a hospital in Soro.

In a heartening display of communal harmony, members of the Muslim community in Balasore’s district headquarters town showered flower petals on a Ram Navami procession. Additionally, they distributed water bottles to the participants of the procession at Arada Bazaar, celebrating the spirit of brotherhood.

“For years, Hindus and Muslims have been celebrating major festivals together. Only a few narrow-minded people create disturbances on rare occasions. We hope the bond of brotherhood between both the communities lasts forever,” a Muslim woman said. In Sambalpur, Bhubaneswar, Rajgangpur (Sundargarh district), Bhadrak, Malkangiri, Kendrapara and other cities, bike rallies and processions were held on the occasion. Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) and Odisha Police were deployed across the State to prevent any law and order issues, a police officer said.

Sambalpur, which witnessed a communal clash in 2023, turned into a fortress with deployment of 15 platoons of police, BSF and CRPF personnel. As many as 113 CCTV cameras and drones were used to avoid any untoward incident.

Bhadrak district witnessed the deployment of 26 platoons, while Cuttack city had 25 platoons of police personnel. Similar arrangements were made in Balasore and other sensitive areas across the State.