Section 144 Blanket On Rukuna Rath Yatra This Year

Bhubaneswar: The Covid-19 pandemic is once again set to take the shine off Lord Lingaraj’s Rukuna Rath Yatra celebrations for the second year in a row as the annual festival will be held without devotees.

Apart from no participation of devotees, the festival will also see a limited number of servitors taking part in the rituals of the annual car festival. Besides, the Commissionerate Police will impose prohibitory order under Section 144 of CrPC from Ratha Khala to Mausi Maa temple.

A decision in this effect was taken at a preparatory meeting which was chaired by Twin City police commissioner Soumendra Priyadarshi wherein Bhubaneswar DCP Umashankar Dash, local police, temple administration, delegates from various servitor nijogs and Congress MLA Suresh Routray, among others were in attendance.

“In view of COVID19 related restrictions, Yatra will be observed without devotees and with limited servitors & police U/S 144 CrPC at Rathakhala to Mausimaa on both 20th & 24th April 2021,” the Commissionerate Police tweeted.

Last year, the annual car festival of Lord Lingaraj was cancelled in view of the 21-day nationwide lockdown imposed to contain the spread of Coronavirus.

(Edited By Suryakant Jena)